G-33 ministers reaffirm commitment to fight at WTO<\/p>\n
Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Ministers from the \"Group of 33\" developing countries
\nmet here on Saturday to reaffirm their commitment to fight for
\nspecial and differential treatment for staple farm products at
\nthe World Trade Organization.<\/p>\n
Meeting on the sidelines of the Asian-African Summit, they
\nalso agreed to arrange a more formal meeting ahead of the WTO
\nministerial meeting in December in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
The group is faced with the urgent task of producing
\ncriteria for the protection of farm products under the concept of
\na \"Special Product and Special Safeguard Mechanism (SP-SSM)\",
\nIndonesian Minister of Trade Mari E. Pangestu said after the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
\"This meeting is a concrete, immediate follow-up to
\nwhat the heads of state have said, that the
\ndeveloping countries need to work together to fight for
\nthe interests of the developing world in international
\nforums,\" Mari told the press here.<\/p>\n
Mari and Minister of Agriculture Anton Apriyantono
\ncohosted the G-33 ministers at a breakfast meeting,
\nwhich was also attended by envoys representing G-33 countries
\nfrom South and Central America, and the Caribbean.<\/p>\n
\"The ministers agreed to meet in a more formal setting
\nahead of the Sixth WTO Ministerial Meeting in Hong
\nKong in December,\" Mari said.<\/p>\n
She continued that this meeting was expected to take
\nplace in Jakarta in June to consolidate the G-33 position
\nand strategy ahead of the December WTO talks.<\/p>\n
Anton added that during the meeting, the ministers expressed
\nthe need for each country to push its officials to provide
\nthe necessary data for the group to formulate the SP-SSM concept
\nimmediately.<\/p>\n
Indonesia leads the group fighting for SP-SSM in the WTO to
\nprotect staple foodstuffs, such as rice, sugar, soybeans and
\ncorn, from such things as excessive cuts in customs duties in the
\nWTO and an influx of cheap imports.<\/p>\n
The G-33 goal is to ensure that the issues of food security,
\nlivelihood security and rural development become an integral
\npart of the current WTO trade negotiations and outcome, as called
\nfor by the Doha Development agenda.<\/p>\n
The group also expressed concern with the slow pace of
\nprogress in the current negotiations at the WTO, especially on
\nfarm issues.<\/p>\n
Farm talks at the WTO broke down last week over the question
\nof how to convert into a percentage terms the customs tariffs
\ncurrently expressed in nominal values such as dollars per ton, or
\nnon-ad valorem equivalent (non-AVE) tariffs, as they are known.
\nMost rich countries impose the majority of their tariffs in non-
\nAVE fashion.<\/p>\n
Talks to cutting farm trade subsidies were unable to continue
\nas before producing a formula for the cuts, an agreement on a
\nconversion technique would first have to be agreed upon.<\/p>\n
According to Mari, an agreement was crucial for further
\ndiscussions on a formula for lowering tariffs around the world.<\/p>\n
\"This is a gateway issue in the farm talks. The negotiators in
\nGeneva still have a week before the deadline to come to an
\nagreement. In the meantime, no progress means no progress (in
\nother farm issues as well),\" she said.<\/p>\n
However, she said that should the talks fail to conclude
\nthis month, the issue would be brought to a mini-ministerial
\nmeeting in Paris in early May. Some 30 ministers from the rich
\nand poor world, including Indonesia, are expected to attend the
\nmeeting.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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