Home
News
In Focus
Business
Metro
Nation
World
Sports
Feature
Opinion
View more »Opinion Columns
Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
Restaurants get off to a quick start thanks to game-changing policies
High service charges on event ticket refunds call for further regulation
Sunday
- Subscribe
Related News
Bali talks to push Doha trade discussion
By Gde Anugrah Arka |
June 8, 2009, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
NINETEEN leading agricultural exporting nations, including Australia, Brazil and South Africa, began talks in Bali yesterday aimed at pushing forward troubled world trade negotiations.
As well as seeking to move forward the stalled Doha trade round, the Cairns Group of nations, which accounts for more than 25 percent of the world's agricultural exports, is also expected to take aim at United States and European dairy export subsidies.
Despite the global economic crisis sharpening pressures for protectionism, there are also hopes that political conditions for a world trade deal are improving. US Trade Representative Ron Kirk was due to attend the three-day meeting in the resort of Bali, as well as officials from the European Union and India.
According to a draft document obtained by Reuters, the talks would include "How can the Cairns Group best exert influence to reinvigorate the negotiations and finish the (Doha) Round."
The protection of farmers from price swings or market implosions, such as subsidies for agricultural products, has emerged as one of the trickiest topics in the Doha round.
US subsidies
The US in May moved to subsidize some of its dairy exports, saying it was forced to respond to new European subsidies that have made it hard to compete in global markets depressed by the economic downturn. Top dairy exporters Australia and New Zealand have led protests against the moves.
Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu also said the Bali meeting would discuss obstacles preventing the 153 World Trade Organization members from wrapping up the Doha round.
"The Cairns Group wants to eliminate huge agricultural subsidies and export subsidies for agricultural products by developed countries which have distorted global trade and hurt poor farmers in many developing countries," Pangestu told reporters on Friday.
Trade ministers came close in July 2008 to a deal on the Doha talks, launched in the Qatari capital in late 2001 to help poor countries prosper through trade.
The Cairns Group consists of Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Uruguay.
As well as seeking to move forward the stalled Doha trade round, the Cairns Group of nations, which accounts for more than 25 percent of the world's agricultural exports, is also expected to take aim at United States and European dairy export subsidies.
Despite the global economic crisis sharpening pressures for protectionism, there are also hopes that political conditions for a world trade deal are improving. US Trade Representative Ron Kirk was due to attend the three-day meeting in the resort of Bali, as well as officials from the European Union and India.
According to a draft document obtained by Reuters, the talks would include "How can the Cairns Group best exert influence to reinvigorate the negotiations and finish the (Doha) Round."
The protection of farmers from price swings or market implosions, such as subsidies for agricultural products, has emerged as one of the trickiest topics in the Doha round.
US subsidies
The US in May moved to subsidize some of its dairy exports, saying it was forced to respond to new European subsidies that have made it hard to compete in global markets depressed by the economic downturn. Top dairy exporters Australia and New Zealand have led protests against the moves.
Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu also said the Bali meeting would discuss obstacles preventing the 153 World Trade Organization members from wrapping up the Doha round.
"The Cairns Group wants to eliminate huge agricultural subsidies and export subsidies for agricultural products by developed countries which have distorted global trade and hurt poor farmers in many developing countries," Pangestu told reporters on Friday.
Trade ministers came close in July 2008 to a deal on the Doha talks, launched in the Qatari capital in late 2001 to help poor countries prosper through trade.
The Cairns Group consists of Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Uruguay.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
