ID :
78415
Fri, 09/04/2009 - 16:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/78415
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MALAYSIAN MINISTER TALKS HARD IN NEW DELHI, WANTS 2010 TIMELINE MET
By P.VIJIAN
NEW DELHI, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia took a tough stand at the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) informal ministerial meeting, warning that the apex body's
credibility will be at stake if the Doha Round is not concluded by 2010.
International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed, who is
leading a delegation to the two-day talks here, urged member countries to try to
keep to the agreed timeline or otherwise years of hard negotiations would go to
waste.
" The talks started eight years ago. It will be a credibility issue if we
miss
the 2010 deadline. A lot of time, money and resources have been put in.
" In earnest, we are keen to conclude the talks within the deadline," he
told
BERNAMA after attending the first day meeting.
About 35 trade ministers are in New Delhi for the informal talks to try to
revive the Doha Round trade negotiations which had stalled since July 2008 when
developing and developed nations failed to compromise on certain issues
including the special safeguard mechanism to protect emerging markets and
the non-agriculture market access.
Mustapa said Malaysia backed the Cairns Group, a coalition of 19
agriculture-exporting economies keen to reform the agriculture trade, which is
pushing to conclude the global trade talks by 2010.
The Doha Round was initiated in 2001 to enhance global trade and to
encourage developing countries to increase their exports by reducing trade
barriers.
But negotiations have been on a roller-coaster as several developed
economies continued to protect their agriculture sector with substantial
subsidies and continued to ignore pleas from developing countries to protect
their poor farmers.
India, where 60 per cent of its population is still rural-based and rely on
farmland, was one of the vociferous member state which challenged the United
States which has been stifling negotiations.
At least 80 per cent of the Doha Round talks has been completed but now
stuck with the balance 20 per cent.
The second day of the meeting continues Friday.
-- BERNAMA
NEW DELHI, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia took a tough stand at the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) informal ministerial meeting, warning that the apex body's
credibility will be at stake if the Doha Round is not concluded by 2010.
International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed, who is
leading a delegation to the two-day talks here, urged member countries to try to
keep to the agreed timeline or otherwise years of hard negotiations would go to
waste.
" The talks started eight years ago. It will be a credibility issue if we
miss
the 2010 deadline. A lot of time, money and resources have been put in.
" In earnest, we are keen to conclude the talks within the deadline," he
told
BERNAMA after attending the first day meeting.
About 35 trade ministers are in New Delhi for the informal talks to try to
revive the Doha Round trade negotiations which had stalled since July 2008 when
developing and developed nations failed to compromise on certain issues
including the special safeguard mechanism to protect emerging markets and
the non-agriculture market access.
Mustapa said Malaysia backed the Cairns Group, a coalition of 19
agriculture-exporting economies keen to reform the agriculture trade, which is
pushing to conclude the global trade talks by 2010.
The Doha Round was initiated in 2001 to enhance global trade and to
encourage developing countries to increase their exports by reducing trade
barriers.
But negotiations have been on a roller-coaster as several developed
economies continued to protect their agriculture sector with substantial
subsidies and continued to ignore pleas from developing countries to protect
their poor farmers.
India, where 60 per cent of its population is still rural-based and rely on
farmland, was one of the vociferous member state which challenged the United
States which has been stifling negotiations.
At least 80 per cent of the Doha Round talks has been completed but now
stuck with the balance 20 per cent.
The second day of the meeting continues Friday.
-- BERNAMA
