India, US to talk WTO deadlock

NEW DELHI: India and the US will hold bilateral talks soon in an attempt to narrow their differences on the ongoing Doha round of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma has said that he and US trade representative Ron Kirk wanted to discuss issues which "came in the way" of the multilateral trade talks last year.

Speaking to ET, the minister said that he had a telephonic conversation with Mr Kirk on Monday and both have agreed to meet in Bali later this week during the Cairns group meeting where they will exchange views on matter of shared interests including the multilateral trading regime and the issues which came in the way in the smooth progress of the Doha round of WTO talks.

"It (the WTO) is important. We remain committed to it. At the same time, the issues which had come in the way will have to be discussed and adequately addressed. I am looking forward to my meeting with Ron Kirk," Mr Sharma said.

The Doha round of talks reached a stalemate last July in Geneva following disagreement between India and the US over issues including special protection to be given to poor farmers against a surge in agricultural imports and making "sectoral" negotiations for eliminating tariffs on select industrial sectors mandatory.

The minister added that he was also eager to meet his counterparts from other countries which share India’s concerns including Brazilian foreign minister Celso Amorim and the trade minister from South Africa.

Mr Sharma said that India was willing to move forward on the basis of the drafts circulated by the WTO groups on agriculture and Nama (non-agriculture market access) last year. "These may be useful base documents for further negotiations. We are positively inclined towards carrying forward the talks," he said.

However, on a more cautious note, the minister added that it was a subject which would be discussed further by the empowered group of ministers (eGoM) on WTO.
 
 
India and the US will hold bilateral talks soon in an attempt to narrow their differences on the ongoing Doha round of the World Trade Organisation.
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