Reuters AlertNet Lite - India says WTO can still clinch Doha deal this year

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

India says WTO can still clinch Doha deal this year

06 Jul 2007 13:08:37 GMT
Source: Reuters

GENEVA, July 6 (Reuters) - Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said on Friday he believed it was "still possible" to clinch a World Trade Organisation (WTO) accord in 2007 despite recent setbacks.

"Of course we can do it. We are still committed to the end of the year. It is still possible," he told reporters in Geneva after speaking to Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, who is participating in developing-nation meetings at WTO headquarters.

Nath said he would meet European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson in London on Saturday "to try to move this forward", referring to the Doha round of talks, which were launched in the Qatari capital in 2001 with the aim of boosting global trade flows and helping poorer nations export more.

The negotiations have been largely stalled since last year, when the United States and European Union locked horns with developing powers represented by Brazil and India over the size of needed cuts to subsidies and tariffs in sensitive areas such as farming and manufactured goods.

They hit further trouble last month when Nath, Amorim, Mandelson and U.S. trade chief Susan Schwab failed to overcome divisions at a side session meant to salvage the Doha deal. The Doha round should have been concluded at the end of 2004.

The WTO's 150 member states need to reach consensus in the negotiations, which also cover trade in services, for an accord to be reached. WTO chief Pascal Lamy has said if an agreement is not secured soon, the talks could be put on ice and would remain so until after the U.S. elections in 2008 when Washington may have more flexibility to negotiate than during the run-up to the ballot.

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• Brazil profile
· View map

• India profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• World Vision uses new technology in disaster-prone development areas
WV - International

• CWS appeal: Southern India floods 2007
CWS

• CWS situation report: Lake Tahoe fire & Texas/Oklahoma flooding
CWS

• World Vision Providing Supplies, Aid to Victims of South Asia Flooding
WV - USA

• Lens into Sri Lanka Crisis from Refugee Camps in India
CRS - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

• Indian Kashmir on strike over rights violations

• India says WTO can still clinch Doha deal this year

• Saudi Arabia downplays Iran military threat

• Iraq hangs militant for 2003 killing of top Shi'ite

• Shots fired at Pakistani leader; mosque siege drags on

MORE >>

Last updated:Fri Jul 6 13:11:02 2007