Item 1. UNITED STATES - CONTINUED DUMPING AND SUBSIDY OFFSET ACT OF 2000

A. STATEMENTS OF INTENTIONS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 21.3 OF THE DSU IN RESPECT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND RULINGS OF THE DSB

• Mr. Chairman, after listening to the interventions of some of the complaining parties, the United States remains as puzzled as ever as to why the complaining parties requested this meeting. The United States stated its intentions in this dispute pursuant to DSU Article 21.3 at the January 27, 2003, DSB meeting. It further confirmed those intentions at the February 19, 2003, DSB meeting, as it had offered to the complaining parties to do.
  
  
• The United States assumes that the complaining parties desire that those stated intentions be in fact the intentions of the United States. In particular, we have not heard anything today from the complaining parties that indicates that they wish the United States to change its mind concerning its intentions. Accordingly there is no reason to comment further on those intentions.
  
  
• With respect to delegations’ suggestions today that DSU Article 21.3 precludes a Member from immediately stating its intentions, and that it was necessary to call this unscheduled meeting today, we refer delegates to our statements at the February 19, 2003 DSB meeting.
  
  
• With respect to comments made today concerning the reasonable period of time, we note that nothing in Article 21.3 requires a responding party to state at a DSB meeting that it needs a reasonable period of time. It should be no surprise however that in this dispute we will need a reasonable period of time. No Member has suggested otherwise.
  
  
• In conclusion, the United States wishes to notes its disappointment that the complaining parties went forward with this meeting despite our invitation at the last meeting that they reconsider.