Supachai Panitchpakdi, director-general of the World Trade Organisation, will take a more aggressive approach to chivvy governments into making progress in the stalled Doha world trade talks.
'It is scandalous that trade negotiators meet with big business and ignore demands of the small farmers or indigenous peoples forced off their land by multinational corporations,' said Tony Juniper,
The endorsements come amid new enthusiasm after a surprise push by Robert Zoellick, US trade representative, to resume negotiations despite US presidential elections, which many saw as a barrier.
Only 31 per cent of Americans favour subsidies for big farmers, though 77 per cent support subsidies for smaller farms, according to a PIPA / Knowledge Networks poll at the University of Maryland.
Castillo said the meeting did not represent a breakthrough, and the Round is not yet back on track. But he was happy the members are in a pragmatic mood, ready to work.
TWN Report by Martin Khor, Geneva 17 December 2003
Castillo said the meeting did not represent a breakthrough, and the Round is not yet back on track. But he was happy the members are in a pragmatic mood, ready to work.
The social movements state that current liberalisation policies focus on increasing exports that satisfy the needs of corporations and threaten the livelihoods of the poorest.
'We have witnessed little real negotiation, gaps remain wide and there does not seem to be a sense of urgency,' the chairman, Carlos Perez del Castillo, told the meeting.
The US Commerce Under-Secretary, Mr. Grant Aldonas said that there was 'not a lot of incentive' for the US and the EU to 'lower politically sensitive trade barriers if poor countries refused to lower theirs.'
