Trade ministers seek progress on Doha talks amid tight security

A TWO-DAY meeting of 35 trade ministers of the WTO-member countries began in New Delhi yesterday amid tight security.

Police manned all entry and exit points towards the venue to prevent disruption of the conference by protesting farmers.

The meeting will seek to give a renewed push to the Doha round of world trade talks, building on decisions taken by G20 leaders earlier this year.

WTO director general Pascal Lamy has expressed hopes that the Delhi meeting could be the “end game” leading to the conclusion of the Doha trade talks.

These talks collapsed in Geneva last year to the relief of farmers and the agri food sector in Ireland which regarded the proposals on the table at that time as potentially devastating for their sectors.

Under those proposals, Europe and the United States would open up their markets to agricultural trade and, in exchange, get better access for manufacturers and service providers in booming markets such as China and India.

EU trade commissioner Catherine Ashton and EU agriculture commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel are in New Delhi for the informal meeting of WTO ministers hosted by the Indian government.

Ms Ashton said: “A fair and satisfactory outcome to the Doha trade negotiations is important if we are to overcome the economic crisis.

“I welcome the Indian government’s initiative to host this meeting, which presents the first opportunity for a large group of ministers to meet since the summer of 2008, and look forward to working together with India and other key WTO members to move ahead with the talks.”

Ms Fischer Boel said: “I am very pleased that efforts are being made to get the Doha Round talks moving again.

The EU will continue its proactive role in looking for a fair and balanced outcome.”

She said it was realistic to aim to reach a deal by the end of 2010. But the EU opposed efforts to reopen the agriculture package as it now stands.

“I think that would be a very, very risky business... I can guarantee that from the European Union there’s no more juice to get out of this lemon,” she said.