ID :
14186
Tue, 07/29/2008 - 11:19
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/14186
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US blames India, China for putting WTO talks in jeopardy By Yoshita Singh
Geneva, July 29 (PTI) - The US Monday blamed India and China for creating hurdles in the ongoing WTO talks here and said Doha trade talks have been thrown into the "gravest jeopardy" by these two countries which are not willing to open theirmarkets for more imports.
"Their (India's and China's) actions have thrown the entire Doha Round -- the Doha Development Round - into the gravest jeopardy in its nearly seven-year life," a US tradeofficial told ministers at ongoing WTO meeting.
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab too voiced her frustration against the stand taken by developing economies in the talks. She left the WTO headquarters after a meetinglast night.
"Unfortunately a few emerging markets have decided that somehow they want to re-balance it in favour of one or another issue," she said while indicating her unhappinessagainst India and China.
She said while the negotiators at the talks have a tentative agreement on a path forward "I think the biggest concern we have is that a handful of large emerging markets threaten this round for the rest of us and for the other developing countries who are so critically dependant on asuccessful development outcome of this development round".
Retorting to Schwab's comments, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said "I have told her (Schwab) that we (India) are large, everybody knows that. We are emergingeverybody knows that. If that be so then so be it".
Last week too India was targeted for breaking the Doha talks. Nath had said, "They (developed nations) are charging me that I am breaking the talks." Developed countries, mainly the US, EU and Canada, are mounting criticism on India stating it remains the mainstumbling block.
The WTO Ministerial talks entered its second week Monday with participants hoping for an outcome in the next couple of days. The ministerial was scheduled to be wrapped up by July 26 but was spilled over to this week amid renewed hopes of a breakthrough in the seven-year old Doha talks for opening the world trade. PTI YAS HMK
"Their (India's and China's) actions have thrown the entire Doha Round -- the Doha Development Round - into the gravest jeopardy in its nearly seven-year life," a US tradeofficial told ministers at ongoing WTO meeting.
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab too voiced her frustration against the stand taken by developing economies in the talks. She left the WTO headquarters after a meetinglast night.
"Unfortunately a few emerging markets have decided that somehow they want to re-balance it in favour of one or another issue," she said while indicating her unhappinessagainst India and China.
She said while the negotiators at the talks have a tentative agreement on a path forward "I think the biggest concern we have is that a handful of large emerging markets threaten this round for the rest of us and for the other developing countries who are so critically dependant on asuccessful development outcome of this development round".
Retorting to Schwab's comments, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said "I have told her (Schwab) that we (India) are large, everybody knows that. We are emergingeverybody knows that. If that be so then so be it".
Last week too India was targeted for breaking the Doha talks. Nath had said, "They (developed nations) are charging me that I am breaking the talks." Developed countries, mainly the US, EU and Canada, are mounting criticism on India stating it remains the mainstumbling block.
The WTO Ministerial talks entered its second week Monday with participants hoping for an outcome in the next couple of days. The ministerial was scheduled to be wrapped up by July 26 but was spilled over to this week amid renewed hopes of a breakthrough in the seven-year old Doha talks for opening the world trade. PTI YAS HMK
