Talks failure is "pause" not "breakdown" of WTO, says India By Yoshita Singh

Geneva, July 31 (PTI) India Wednesday blamed the rich nations for their rigid stand on subsidies but said collapse of global trade talks here should be considered as a "pause"and not a "breakdown" of WTO negotiations.

Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said that India sought strong safeguards for its farmers from heavily subsidised imports from the developed nations which themselves have resorted to restricting trade for helping theiragriculture sector.

Nath said except on special safeguard mechanism, the trade ministers had converged on several other contentious issues. These convergences should be kept on the table. "I would urge the Director General to treat this as a pause and not a breakdown and to keep on the table what is there," hesaid.

Nath said the developing countries have to guardthemselves against import of subsidised products.

Gruelling negotiations by 30 trade ministers ended in a failure Tuesday after the US, India and China found themselves in deadlock over the trigger point for levyingduties in case of import surges of farm products.

Nath, who remained extensively engaged in the core group of seven nations, said that he represented not only India's interest but concerns of over 100 developing and leastdeveloped countries.

"I thought we cannot put at stake the livelihood security of one billion people in various (developing)countries," he said.

Nath said WTO "is not a buffet that you can pick up what you want and go." PTI RR YAS