The second more

While Moscow was busy plotting a conspiracy against Poland, it had already begun preparations for a multilateral ministerial meeting of Britain, the United States, Germany, France, and Poland, and the main content of the meeting was Poland's application for joining the WTO.

Anyway, the opinion of other countries is not very important, what matters is the attitude of the capitalist four. As long as they nod their heads, what country that doesn't have long eyes dares to stand up and say no?

The Extraordinary Ministerial Conference, held in Warsaw, may have been a face-saving gesture to Kwasniewski, with British Chancellor of the Exchequer Clark, US Treasury Secretary Robert, German Finance Minister Theodor Weigel, and French Economy Minister Alfon Daly.

Because the negotiations were about to develop the Polish economy in the coming decades, Chancellor Pavlak was much more serious than ever, with only a handful of people in the spacious international conference room, and almost all of the rest were senior leaders of a country, except for translators.

"With regard to Poland's accession to the World Trade Organization, the representatives of the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and France have made the following demands: Poland must join the World Trade Organization as a developed country and have a two-year trade protection period, once the trade protection period expires, Poland will have to fulfill its responsibilities in accordance with the provisions of the World Trade Organization regulations." The following is about the terms and conditions. ”

"The first is that Poland must cut tariffs. Tariffs across the board. The average tax rate was reduced to 17%. For agricultural products, the tax will be reduced to 15% within 5 years. Elimination of Polish subsidies for all exported goods. The second is to open up markets for agricultural products. Proportional tariff quotas for wheat, corn, rice and cotton were introduced to open up the market. Gradual withdrawal of state-controlled trade in important agricultural products. Thirdly, the special clause to control the sharp increase in Polish exports to the United States after the quota was lifted is valid for 12 years, and the clause prohibiting Polish dumping with other countries abroad is valid for 15 years. ”

"Fourth, open up the retail market. Open up more distribution rights and after-sales services to foreign companies. Fifth, open up professional services. Professional services open to foreign-owned companies include legal, accounting, medical, etc. Sixth, the automobile industry should be opened up, and the tariff rate on automobiles will be reduced in stages every year from the current 80 to 100 percent. By 1999, it was 25 percent, allowing U.S. institutions to lend money for car purchases. Seventh, we need to open up the telecommunications sector. opening up the telecommunications market to foreign investors to allow 49% equity in the electronic services sector, which will be increased to 50% after two years; Foreign investors can fully invest in the market. Eighth, open up the banking sector. Two years after joining the WTO, foreign banks can handle monetary business for Polish enterprises, and five years after joining the world trade, they must be fully opened. Ninth, the securities industry should be opened up, allowing foreign financial companies to hold 33% of the shares in fund management enterprises, and in 2000 Poland must open up all walks of life to the outside world. Foreign investment is allowed in all sectors of Poland, including important industries that are currently under the direct control of the Polish government. ”

Every time the United States reads a treaty. Pavlak's brows were furrowed an inch, and Prime Minister Pavlak knew very well that if he agreed to the request made by the US Secretary of the Treasury, then after the two-year trade protection period had passed, all walks of life in Poland would be dealt a fatal blow to foreign investment, and this blow would undoubtedly be fatal to Polish local enterprises.

Each trade barrier was designed to protect Poland's fledgling and fragile economy, but the two-year period was too short for Poland to do anything to protect it.

Prime Minister Pavlak, who is also the Minister of Economy, naturally does not want to make Poland suffer, he protested against the request put forward by the US Secretary of the Treasury, Pavlak showed his cards, "Poland can agree to the US demand, but your trade protection period is too short, Poland must join the World Trade Organization as a developing country." ”

"Refuse." The Chancellor of the Exchequer did not even think of rejecting Pavlak's request, two years was too long for Britain, and he would like to play the barbaric style of the time when the sun never sets, and plunder wealth directly with war, instead of intriguing at the negotiating table like an aristocratic style.

But now the United States is more calm and continues to listen to them.

"Poland was one of the rich socialist countries during the Soviet era, and we can't choose to classify you from developed to developing countries just because you have changed the national system, which is unfair to other member states."

Pavlak nodded, spread his hands and said, "In that case, then Poland also has something to say." Before agreeing to join the World Trade Organization, the Soviet Union approached Poland to discuss the establishment of an economic mutual assistance association to deepen economic trade between the two countries. So now Poland is not eligible to join the WTO as a developing country? ”

Pavlak's words made the big four of the economy look at each other, how can there be such intelligence?

Now Poland has two choices, either join the WTO, or set up a separate door and establish a system of mutual economic assistance with the Soviet Union, which is not a good thing for Western countries. But Minister Robert will certainly not agree to Poland's 15-year WTO protection period, which is tantamount to digging a hole and jumping down on his own.

"It is impossible for us to agree to a 15-year term of trade protection, which is not in line with WTO regulations." The French economy minister did not even want to use the mask, and directly showed a hideous face, vetoing the contents of the world trade agreement treaty written in black and white.

"Poland cannot join the WTO as a developing country, and as a rapidly growing emerging economy, Poland is obliged to take on more responsibilities, so we will not accede to your request. It would be preferable to postpone or veto Poland's request to join the WTO. Daley said through gritted teeth.

Pavlak looked at the French Minister of Economy with a smile on his face, and he had a sense of déjà vu that I would do just that. The important thing is that Pavlak knew that if he agreed to the demands of the French, Poland might not really have a good life.

Pavlak is not guilty of taking the whole of Poland for a small profit, but if he can get a longer period of protection, then it will be an interesting venture for Poland. You may be able to make a lot of money in your investment.

After a while, the negotiations reached an impasse, and everyone did not know what would happen next, and the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was a-stirring stick in Europe, stepped forward to ease relations between the two sides.

"In that case, then we will announce a suspension of negotiations for a period of time to give both sides a little more time to think about it."

When the negotiations were interrupted, the finance ministers of the four countries did not have a good face, obviously they did not know that the Soviet Union would actually intervene in the Polish issue, not to mention whether the action of establishing an economic commissar was true or not, but Poland could indeed use this news to blackmail the four countries.

"We have to reformulate our policy, and if Poland is biased towards the Soviet Union, then the strategy we have developed will be invalid." When it came to strategy, the Minister of Finance, Robert, raised his head and glanced at the other three, each of whom had a gloomy and terrible face. Because this strategy is everyone's little calculation in their hearts.

"Damn Yanayev." Clark cursed, as if something he was about to get his hands on had suddenly been stabbed sideways.

"Complaining won't solve anything, Minister Clark." German Finance Minister Weigel, who has not spoken, said, "Now we have to bargain for more than two years and fifteen years." Of course, everyone wants this deadline to be as low as possible, after all, everyone knows what is going on in their hearts. ”

The French Minister of Economy, who had been thinking with his chin in his hands, raised his head at this time, looked around at the gloomy faces of the crowd, and gave his opinion, "If we can't make a fuss about the time limit, then we can impose a more harsh treaty on Poland and make the other party submit." What Poland lacks now is the right to choose, not the right of veto. ”

Daly's words lit up everyone's eyes, and they raised their heads and began to think about the feasibility of this plan.

"If that's the case, then we can give Poland several sets of options to choose from, and hopefully Prime Minister Pavlak won't have a choice." (To be continued.) )