The fifth ministerial conference of the World Trade

The fifth ministerial conference of the World Trade
Organization (WTO), held in Cancun, Mexico on Sept. 4 to Sept. 10
did not produce any agreement. Developed states and developing
countries failed to agree on agricultural products.

Developed states like the U.S. and Russia, as well as European
countries, wanted countries all over the world to open their
markets to any agricultural product. They wanted their products
to be free from any import duty.

As a developing country, Indonesia has had a bad experience on
agricultural liberalization. Indonesia, based on the
International Monetary Fund's (IMF) suggestion, has opened widely
its market to imported rice and soybean.

Consequently, imported rice and soybean flooded the Indonesian
market, with local rice and soybean losing their market share.

This daily suggests that the government continue lobbying many
parties, including developed and developing countries, to save
millions of farmers not only in Indonesia but also in other
countries.

The next conference in Hong Kong in 2005 would hopefully
accept such suggestion from developing countries.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta

;BI;
Anpak..r..
OtherOp-Iraq-USA-Bush
The costs of stabilizing Iraq
JP/6/

The costs of stabilizing Iraq

The price tag for Iraq's reconstruction, detailed by President
Bush in his televised address to the nation, is indeed huge. But
it is a burden Americans must bear willingly. To do anything less
would risk Iraq's disintegration into a fertile land for Islamic
extremism, terrorism and adventurism.

In the end, the costs of U.S. failure in Iraq would be many
times greater than the US$87 billion in postwar assistance sought
by President Bush. That figure includes reconstruction activities
in Afghanistan as well. In the case of both countries, an
American retreat from its responsibilities in the wake of U.S.-
induced regime change would produce wide-scale anarchy and
renewed bloodshed. As a result, the long-term security interests
of the civilized world would be irreparably undermined.

That's why it's essential that the United States and its
allies stay the course, regardless of the costs. The sacrifice
Americans are making in Iraq and, to a lesser degree, in
Afghanistan is measured in something far more precious than
dollars. The military personnel who continue to lose their lives
in support of the peacekeeping operations are the true measure of
the U.S. commitment to stabilize both countries and eradicate any
terrorist threat.....

-- The San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego, California

U.S. involvement in Iraq

"I recognize that not all of our friends agreed with our
decision to enforce the Security Council resolutions and remove
Saddam Hussein from power. Yet, we cannot let past differences
interfere with present duties," George W. Bush said in his speech
to the nation.

The speech was just as much aimed at the rest of the world.
After its war adventure in Iraq, the United States needs help.

It borders on audacity for President Bush to ask the world to
help out in Iraq. Last autumn, he had no use for the United
Nations. Now, his staff is all but begging the United Nations to
become more involved. That's because the Iraq war has become
costly in both money and loss of human life.

Of course Norway and other countries must contribute to
helping the Iraqis, who have gotten rid of a tyrant and dictator,
but the United States can no longer demand to decide the
military, political and economic developments in the country.

The U.S. request for an international military force under
American command must be rejected. Such a force's duties and
responsibilities should be done under U.N. leadership, but
without the United Nations becoming an excuse for the United
States.

-- Dagbladet, Oslo, Norway

The Middle East
road map to peace

The American-sponsored peace road map is now in greater
jeopardy than ever before. Whether Washington and Tel Aviv like
it or not, it is the Palestinians who decide on who becomes their
prime minister and, consequently, their interlocutor in
negotiations to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. ...
There is no reason a new Palestinian prime minister can live up
to Washington's expectations. In fact, he would be reluctant to
act according to American or Israeli wishes, so as not to be seen
as a puppet of either. The road map cannot hinge on the American
perception of the Palestinian prime minister or sidelining
Arafat, who is after all the leader of the Palestinian struggle.
Washington must exert pressure on Tel Aviv to make sacrifices for
peace by stopping their attacks on the Palestinians and ending
their occupation of Palestinian lands. Otherwise, the road map
will go nowhere.

-- New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia