37 (h) promote and enhance common understanding and cooperation in trade in services amongst State Parties in order to improve the capacity, efficiency and competitiveness of their services markets; and (i) promote research and technological advancement in the field of services to accelerate economic and social development. PART IV GENERAL OBLIGATIONS AND DISCIPLINES Article 4 Most-Favoured-Nation Treatment 1. With respect to any measure covered by this Protocol, each State Party shall, upon entry into force, accord immediately and unconditionally to services and service suppliers of any other State Party treatment no less favourable than that it accords to like services and service suppliers of any Third Party. 2. Nothing in this Protocol shall prevent a State Party from entering into a new preferential agreement with a Third Party, in accordance with Article V of the GATS provided such agreements do not impede or frustrate the objectives of this Protocol. Such preferential treatment shall be extended to all State Parties on a reciprocal and nondiscriminatory basis. 3. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, two (2) or more State Parties may conduct negotiations and agree to liberalise trade in services for specific sectors or sub-sectors in accordance with the objectives in this Protocol. Other State Parties shall be afforded opportunity to negotiate the preferences granted therein on a reciprocal basis. 4. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, a State Party shall not be obliged to extend preferences agreed with any Third Party prior to the entry into force of this Protocol, of which that State Party was a member or a beneficiary. A State Party may afford opportunity to the other State Parties to negotiate the preferences granted therein on a reciprocal basis. 5. The provisions of this Protocol shall not be so construed as to prevent any State Party from conferring or according advantages to adjacent countries in order to facilitate exchanges limited to contiguous frontier zones of services that are both locally produced and consumed.