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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

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

A meeting of G33 developing nations should help the chances of success in the Doha trade round, but convergence among all groups is needed by end-April, European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said today.

During Bush

Rich nations must give ground to help global free trade talks make progress, India's trade minister said on Wednesday.

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.

Hundreds of local fishing communities are being pushed into poverty in Pakistan due to over fishing by international trawlers, according to new research from ActionAid released today.

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.

Despite an increase in the exposure of farmers to world market signals due to the implementation of the 2003 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), agriculture remained protected by a complex tariff structure, high tariffs, tariff quotas (with unfilled quotas), and benefited from high levels of domestic support and export subsidies.

Small group consultations on Market Access for Non-Agricultural Products (NAMA) have not produced any breakthrough, and members continue to maintain a cautious stance, insisting that there should be movement first in agriculture, the Chair of the NAMA talks, Ambassador Don Stephenson of Canada, reported on 26 February.