WorldCom's Reaction to USTR'S Request for Formal World Trade Organization Consultations Regarding the Serious Problems in the Mexican Telecommunications Market
The following statement can be attributed to John Stupka,
president, Ventures and Alliances:
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- JULY 28, 2000 -- WorldCom applauds the United
States Trade Representative's decision to request formal
consultations with the Mexican Government at the World Trade
Organization (WTO) to resolve the egregious anti-competitive
conditions in Mexico's telecommunications market. We particularly
appreciate the intense ongoing efforts of Ambassador Barshefsky,
Ambassador Fisher, and the USTR staff to resolve these serious
problems. We hope that USTR's action will lead Mexico to take
concrete steps to bring the benefits of full competition to Mexican
consumers and businesses. WorldCom is prepared to offer constructive
proposals and to assist the Mexican Government in this effort.
When Mexico signed the WTO Telecom Agreement in early 1997, it
made a commitment to Mexican consumers that they would receive the
benefits of a competitive telecom market: better prices, innovative
technologies, and higher quality services. The failure to open
Mexico's telecommunications market has resulted in the citizens
of Mexico receiving poor telecom services while paying among the
highest rates in the world.
Committing to a competitive telecom market in the WTO was the
right thing for Mexico to do, and finally living up to those promises
is the right thing for Mexican consumers and businesses. The growth
of the Internet and the tremendous benefits of the digital revolution
are impossible without vibrant competition in the communications
industry. As long as the Mexican Government allows Telmex to stifle
competition, Mexico will miss out on the advantages of the global
information economy. WorldCom encourages the Mexican Government to
fully comply with the pro-competitive principles of the WTO Telecom
Agreement, which will encourage investment, lead to a more robust
telecom infrastructure, and lay the groundwork for a healthy and
dynamic Mexican economy in the years ahead.
