The Hindu : New Delhi News : CPI for white paper on WTO talks

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Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008
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CPI for white paper on WTO talks

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: World Trade Organisation Director General Pascal Lamy’s reported statement that the last round of trade talks successfully dealt with 17 of the 20 issues has provoked the Communist Party of India the Centre to issue a white paper on it.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, party general secretary A.B. Bardhan said the government gave an impression that the last WTO mini-ministerial conference could not resolve issues and that the talks had collapsed, but Mr. Lamy was quoted by a newspaper as saying there was progress.

“We find from the interview that out of about 20 issues on the agenda at the ministerial (meeting), which included not just agriculture and NAMA, but also services and intellectual properties, 17 items were successfully dealt with,” the letter said.

Only on three issues, he said, there was no agreement and they related to the special safeguard mechanisms (SSM) on agriculture imports, cotton subsidies by the U.S. and intellectual property. “We are totally in the dark about the details on 17 items which have been successfully dealt with.”

“It seems that the most contentious issues of India’s national interest relating to steep farm subsidies by the U.S., regulating the green box subsidies and custom duties on imports have been resolved.”

Mr. Bardhan also drew attention to a statement by the Commerce Secretary at a WTO seminar organised by the FICCI, indicating that the government was ready to “resolve” the remaining issues, provided Mr. Lamy was able to persuade the U.S. to discuss SSM.

In the light of the status of the Doha round of issues, he said, the party strongly felt it would be appropriate if the government issued a white paper giving details of the issues that have been resolved and those yet to be resolved. “The people of the country have the right to know the status,” he said.

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