APEC ministers commit to new round of global talks
APEC ministers commit to new round of global talks
DARWIN, Australia (AFP): Asia-Pacific trade ministers on
Tuesday threw their weight behind the launch of a new round of
global trade talks, admitting the Seattle agenda was overloaded
and bound to fail.
"The APEC ministers have agreed to reaffirm their support for
the leaders statement that came out of Auckland last year towards
the launch of a broad-based round of multilateral negotiations as
soon as possible," said Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile, who
is chairing a meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade
ministers here.
Some of APEC's 21-members remained concerned that there was
not a repeat of Seattle, where negotiations to launch a new round
crumbled last December amid violent anti-globalization street
protests.
But Vaile said the next WTO attempt to launch a trade round
would be more carefully planned.
"With the benefit of hindsight it wasn't the protests or the
process that caused Seattle to fail so much as an overloaded
agenda," he said.
"We are collectively responsible for that, some more than
others. We were trying to conduct negotiations before we even
laughed the round."
He refused to say what should be excluded from a new agenda
but said it was broadly recognized there was "a lack preparedness
in terms of the text, the issues and expectations of the issues
in Seattle."
At the meeting of APEC leaders in Auckland last year, a four-
point plan was agreed on as the basis for a new round of talks.
It specified comprehensive market access negotiations on
industrial tariffs in addition to already mandated negotiations
on services and agriculture.
The new round should also lead to improvements in market
access, particularly for developing economies, and provide scope
to review and strengthen rules.
The talks should be concluded within three years and
negotiations should seek the abolition of agricultural export
subsidies and unjustifiable export barriers, the leaders'
statement said.
Ministers in Darwin did not specify a timetable, but WTO
Director-General Mike Moore downplayed expectations that it would
be this year.
"There has been some movement, on implementation (of Uruguay
round commitments) for example, but there are still lines of deep
disagreement," he said here, before addressing a ministerial
retreat.
He was referring to core labor standards, the environment,
competition and investment.
"But we should not see disagreement as failure. It's simply
countries fighting for their national interests. I think there is
a modest chance this year."