Asian countries to gain from global trade talks<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AP): Asian countries reluctant to embark on a new
\nround of global trade negotiations can only benefit from
\nliberalization, European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy
\nsaid Saturday.<\/p>\n
Southeast Asia, which is recovering from the 1997-1998
\neconomic slump, needs more growth, more exports, more market
\naccess, Lamy told The Associated Press.<\/p>\n
Lamy, who was in Indonesia earlier this week, was visiting
\nSingapore to build support for a new round of trade talks after
\nthe failure of December's World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting
\nin Seattle.<\/p>\n
Many developing countries are reluctant to hold new
\nmultilateral trade talks, arguing that they have not received the
\nbenefits they expected from the last round, the Uruguay Round,
\nwhich ended in 1993.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement concluding the Uruguay Round, nations
\ncommitted themselves to a progressive removal of quotas on
\ntextiles over a 10-year period.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, a group of 24 developing nations attacked
\nthe United States, the European Union and Canada for failing to
\nopen their markets to clothing and textiles, which are crucial
\nsectors for poorer nations.<\/p>\n
Rich countries say they are meeting their obligation to lift
\nthe restrictions gradually.<\/p>\n
Lamy said issues like agriculture and textiles \"should and
\ncould be addressed\" during a new round.<\/p>\n
But, he said, poor nations should sit down and negotiate with
\nrich countries to obtain increased market access and lower
\nnational subsidies in such sectors.<\/p>\n
In Singapore, Lamy met with Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong,
\nTrade and Industry Minister George Yeo and Minister for
\nCommunications and Information Technology Yeo Cheow Tong.<\/p>\n
They discussed bilateral and multilateral trade, as well as
\nspecific issues such as information technology and electronic
\ncommerce.<\/p>\n
Lamy said the EU and Singapore had \"converging views\" on the
\nneed to hold a new round of global trade talks, \"possibly this
\nyear.\"<\/p>\n
\"We are eye-to-eye,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Both the EU and Singapore agreed that China should join the
\nWTO this year or at the beginning of next year at the latest,
\nLamy said.<\/p>\n
During meetings with Indonesian officials earlier this week,
\nLamy addressed EU concerns over illegally-set forest fires meant
\nto clear land for farming but +that spread haze over the region
\nand illegal logging.<\/p>\n
Over the past four years, the EU has invested more than 100
\nmillion euros (US$92.6 million) on reforestation in Indonesia,
\nLamy said.<\/p>\n
\"We are pushing hard so that this money is not unduly spent. I
\nknow it's difficult (for the Indonesian government), but part of
\nthe answer is in their hands,\" he said.
\nLamy leaves Sunday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asian-countries-to-gain-from-global-trade-talks-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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