Statement of Ambassador Clayton K. Yeutter Representative of the United States to the Thirty-Second Session of the Contracting Parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, November 22/23, 1976 Geneva, Switzerland

Mr. Chairman: IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME TO REPRESENT THE UNITED STATES AT THIS THIRTY-SECOND SESSION OF THE GATT CONTRACTING PARTIES. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MEETING EXTENDS WELL BEYOND THE SPECIFIC TRADE ISSUES ON THE AGENDA BEFORE US. IT REPRESENTS A CONTINUING EFFORT TO RESOLVE COMMON ECONOMIC PROBLEMS THROUGH INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS EFFORT SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED. WE ALL SHARE A FUNDAMENTAL SELF-INTEREST IN PRESERVING; IN THE FACE OF MAJOR ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES; AN OPEN TRADING SYSTEM BASED ON COOPERATION UNDER AGREED INTERNATIONAL RULES