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Kamal Nath to attend WTO meet in Geneva

Special Correspondent

The meeting will discuss the modalities for negotiations

Kamal Nath

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath will attend the mini-ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation from June 29 to July 2 in Geneva. The meet will discuss the modalities for negotiations for agriculture and non-agricultural market access (NAMA) or industrial tariffs.

While agriculture and NAMA are not the sole elements of the Doha agenda, these two areas are seen as the most crucial for breaking the current stalemate and moving the Doha Round forward. Trade Ministers from about 40-50 WTO member-countries are expected to participate in the Geneva meeting.

The meeting assumes special significance as, according to analysts, if the issues are not resolved at the meeting, conclusion of the Doha Round launched at Doha in Qatar in 2001, could get inordinately delayed. The discussions will be based on the text of the modalities for negotiations in agriculture and NAMA, which was released by WTO earlier this week.

Mr. Kamal Nath will be accompanied by a high-level delegation that will include representatives of the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Agriculture and Textiles, an official release said here.

He will also participate in ministerial meetings of the G-20 and G-33 on the sidelines of the mini-ministerial on June 29.

While the G-20 is a coalition of developing countries in agriculture negotiations, the G-33 is an alliance of developing countries with defensive interests in the sector through the instrumentality of Special Products and Special Safeguard Mechanism to protect the interests of their farmers.

India is a leading member of both groups.

A meeting to review the progress of negotiations in services will be convened in Geneva on July 1 by European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. India will participate along with other member countries.

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