Geneva, July 1
The WTO talks here collapsed today as Trade Ministers of 60 key countries failed to arrive at a common ground on agriculture and industrial tariffs and Commerce Minister Kamal Nath pulled out of the meeting.
Blaming the industrialised nations for the talks fizzling out, Mr Nath said, There is no need to pretend that this has not been a failure. I am willing to negotiate commerce but on subsistence, livelihood and security, I will not be willing to negotiate. He left for home two days ahead of schedule.
I see no negotiating space. Last night when we finished our discussions, we were not seeing any negotiating space. I decided there is no point staying here for another two days and decided to return to Delhi, he said disappointed with the outcome.
WTO Director General Pascal Lamy said the trade ministers were refusing to show any flexibility and engage in negotiations to cut farm subsidies and tariffs on industrial goods.
But developing countries were united and over 100 countries formed a front to defend the development thrust of this round of trade talks, which was originally scheduled to end by December.
I came here to see what our farmers can get and not what they can give. If developed countries were looking for market access that destabilises our infant industry, I cannot accept that, Mr Nath said.
Mr Nath said he had discussed this matter with G-90 about developing countries not getting negotiating space at the talks. So 110 developing countries are supporting what we are saying, he added.
Mr Nath is among the first trade ministers to leave Geneva after three days of toothless discussions at the WTO in the face of wide differences in perception between developed and developing countries. Brazil and India who lead the powerful G-20 block of developing countries form part of G-6 along with the EU, US, Japan and Australia.
PTI
