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Push
on for new global trade talks Developing
nations last Saturday called on rich countries to restart global
trade talks, saying their suspension not only threatened the current Doha
Round but also the multilateral trading system itself. The Doha Round
- named after the Qatari capital where it was started in 2001 - is aimed
at slashing trade barriers across the planet. But the Doha talks stalled
in July over the question of rich nations' subsidies for agriculture. "Not only
is the round threatened, but the multilateral trading system itself now
faces a serious crisis," said a statement issued by the emerging
market nations of the Group of 20. "This is an unacceptable situation
for all developing countries." At the start
of talks in Rio de Janeiro, the trade representatives seemed determined to
plow ahead, although neither side appeared prepared to give much ground in
the dispute over agricultural subsidies in wealthy, developed nations. "The
simple fact that we are meeting here demonstrates our engagement with the
negotiations," Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said in his
opening remarks. "We are living a unique moment where developing
companies are saying, 'We need more access and less restrictions. Failure
is simply not an option."' The meeting is
the first of its kind since World Trade Organizations discussions stalled.
Analysts said
the presence of US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, EU Trade
Commissioner Peter Mandelson, WTO chief Pascal Lamy and Japanese
Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa was a positive sign but that gaps
between the two groups would be difficult to bridge. "With US
congressional elections looming on November 7 and the declining political
appeal of free trade, an immediate resumption is unrealistic," said
Philippe de Pontet, an analyst with the Eurasia Group consulting firm. "More
plausible would be a return to the negotiating table in November or early
December. With all of the key trade ministers present at Rio, a
declaration to that effect may well emerge, especially since Brazil, the
host, backs the idea," he added. But the G-20
statement made clear developing nations were unlikely to back off their
key demands that developed nations do away with agricultural subsidies and
tariff barriers for their farm products. Powerful farm
lobbies in the United States, Europe and Japan strongly oppose an end to
subsidies, which they fear will leave them unable to compete with the
flood of cheap imports. Indian
Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said it was up to the countries with advanced
economies to take the lead in talks.
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