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Only some consensus, says India

Differences over livelihood, security at WTO: Kamal Nath

GENEVA: Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said there was “no agreement” reached for a global trade pact but that there was some consensus on areas that dealt with enhancing prosperity.

“There is no agreement but there are certain areas of concerns, certain areas of consensus,” he said, emerging from negotiations with Ministers from over 35 key nations.

“In areas which affect livelihood and security, which affect poverty, there is no agreement, there is no consensus. In areas that enhances prosperity there is some consensus.”

Mr. Kamal Nath and other Ministers have been in Geneva since Monday to conclude the so-called Doha Round of negotiations.

The Minister said India was not ready to work for high-cost European industries which were being priced out in the global competitive market.

“While progress is there, it is not enough and adequate. India will not put its hand forward to sustain the uncompetitive high-cost European industries.”

He said while there was some progress on issues like tariff rate quota, wide differences persisted on major issues like flexibility to the developing countries on industrial goods and agriculture.

He said India was keen to have a Doha deal in the wake of a gloomy global economic outlook. But “if I am asked to do a Doha Round which puts the livelihood security of 500 million people at stake, that is not what the round is all about.”

He said India would remain firm on key agricultural issues of special products and special safeguard mechanism to protect farmers from surge in imports and price dips.

“On the issue of special product and poverty issues there is no going back and forward,” he said.

On opening the market for industrial goods, Mr. Kamal Nath said whatever tariff the developed countries reduce, India would be ready to cut 10 per cent less following the principle of “less-than-full-reciprocity” agreed in the Hong Kong declaration.

“Every movement I make, you [developed countries] pocket, ask for more to sustain non-competitive high cost industries,” he said.

Commerce Secretary G.K. Pillai said, “The talks are still on, all Ministers have agreed to be here.” He said only part of issues were finished, other issues like cotton, tariff simplification were yet to be discussed. There is still hope for the deal, he said.

Meet extended

Amid renewed hopes of a breakthrough, the WTO has extended the ministerial meeting till next week to allow negotiators more time to narrow differences and reach a deal for opening the world trade.

While the countries stuck to their hard stance bringing talks to the brink of collapse, hopes of a revival sprung up on the back of “some interesting ideas” on Friday. — PTI

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