Archive - Mar 2007 - Article

The Group of 33 (G33) developing countries concluded their Ministerial meeting here Wednesday with a communique outlining their continued commitment to Special Products and Special Safeguard Mechanism (SP/SSM) in the WTO's Doha agriculture negotiations, and agreeing on a revised list of indicators for the selection of Special Products.

Reduction in tariff protection in South Asian agriculture has been the primary cause of import surge, leading to fall in employment in farm activities, lowering of returns to farmers and increased levels of poverty in rural areas.

WTO director-general, Pascal Lamy

From the corridors of power in Washington this week it will be possible to look out at a transient moment of simple beauty as 3,700 cherry blossom trees donated to the city by Tokyo flower for a mere seven days.

Over the next two weeks, Korean and U.S. trade negotiators plan to meet behind closed doors with hopes of reaching an agreement on the KorUS FTA before March 31 deadline.

Trade ministers of the Group-of-33 developing-country coalition - which is seeking enhanced flexibilities for 'special products' and a 'special safeguard mechanism' in the Doha Development Agenda farm trade negotiations - repeated yesterday the negotiating mandate on 'special products' does not require developing countries to provide any compensation including through tariff-quota commitments

Agriculture here is a life and death issue. Scores of farmers have committed suicide in recent years because of crop failures and falling prices.

California based Ventria Bioscience has been given preliminary approval to grow a rice containing human genes on 3000 acres in Kansas.

FEDERATION of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) president Datuk Yong Poh Kon claims that Malaysia has more to gain than lose from signing a free trade agreement (FTA) with the US (The Star, March 17). While claiming that a balance in views is necessary, it appears that his letter does not appear to be realistic about the possible gains for Malaysia under a USFTA.

Indonesia does not expect a breakthrough on global free trade talks at a meeting of G33 countries on Wednesday, but developing nations aimed to 'really push' to make progress, the country's trade minister said.