[Kabar-indonesia] G20 developing nations push to revive WTO talks [+US Commitment to Doha]

[Joyo at aol.com]

also: Bush States U.S. Commitment to Doha

G20 developing nations push to revive WTO talks 
  
BRASILIA, Aug. 3 (AP): The G20 group of developing nations will attempt to 
help revive the collapse of World Trade Organization talks for a global trade 
treaty at a meeting next month in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian Foreign Minister 
Celso Amorim 
said Wednesday.

Amorim announced the G20 meeting four days after he met with U.S. Trade 
Representative Susan Schwab in Rio. Both said the WTO talks could be saved if trade 
ministers hold intensive meetings in coming weeks and months.

Speaking to Brazilian lawmakers, Amorim said regional and bilateral trade 
deals won't work as a substitute to a deal involving the 149-nation WTO.

"There isn't any alternative to the WTO," he said. "If the WTO doesn't work 
out, the damage will be severe, not only for Brazil, but for everyone, and 
would serve as a signal to the world of the breakdown of the multilateral system."

WTO negotiations collapsed earlier this month in Geneva over disagreements on 
farm subsidies in rich nations and market access in developing countries. The 
21 member nations of the G20 have about 60 percent of the world's population 
and are responsiblefor about 21 percent of the planet's agricultural exports.

Amorim also warned that a complete failure of the Doha round of trade talks, 
started in the capital of Qatar five years ago, could generate trade 
protectionism worldwide and lead to increased trade retaliation by nations.

Trade ministers from the G20 set a tentative schedule for the new meetings to 
be held Sept. 9-10. Then heads of state from India and South Africa will 
travel to Brazil's capital, Brasilia, for a Sept. 13 summit, hosted by President 
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, on reviving a global treaty.

Their talks will come just a week before another international meeting of top 
officials in Australia billed by that country's trade minister as the last 
hope of salvaging WTO global trade liberalization talks.

The United States and WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy have accepted 
invitations to attend the Sept. 20-22 conference in Australia of trade minister from 
the 18 farm exporting countries that compose the Cairns Group, Trade Minister 
Mark Vaile said.

The G20 was formed in 2003 with Brazil as one of its leading member nations. 
The other members are Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, China, Cuba, Egypt, the 
Philippines, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, 
South Africa, Thailand, Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

The Cairns Group -- which accounts for more than a quarter of the world's 
agricultural exports -- comprises Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, 
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, 
Pakistan,Paraguay, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and Uruguay. 

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Dow Jones Newswires
August 1, 2006

Bush States U.S. Commitment to Doha

By HENRY J. PULIZZI

WASHINGTON -- President Bush said the U.S. will "do everything we can" to 
revive global trade talks, calling the World Trade Organization's dormant Doha 
Round a "once-in-a-lifetime" chance to boost world trade.

There are "important negotiations taking place, and our government is 
strongly committed to a successful outcome of the Doha Round. The problem is that 
some others aren't committed," Mr. Bush said in a speech in Miami. "We'll do 
everything we can to get Doha back on track."

The Doha talks, aimed at lowering barriers to trade among the WTO's 149 
members and relieving poverty in the developing world, broke down last week as the 
U.S. and Europe failed to resolve a clash over farm-product tariffs and 
subsidies to the agriculture sector, and differences over services and industrial 
goods continued.

U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab recently returned from talks in 
Brazil, and Mr. Bush said he had instructed her to continue speaking with her 
counterparts. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to jump-start global trade 
and create opportunities around the world," Mr. Bush said.

On Sunday, U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair also said he hadn't given up on the 
Doha talks. He told a group of executives in California that he and Mr. Bush 
agreed on the need to make "one final effort" to resuscitate the negotiations.

"The talks are important talks," Mr. Bush said. "They have a chance to break 
down trade barriers around the world. They have a chance to expand the flow of 
commerce, which is what we want. They have a chance to create new jobs and 
economic growth, not only here but elsewhere."

Mr. Bush's visit to Miami is the second in a series of what the White House 
is calling "drill down" trips designed to focus on domestic issues and let the 
president spend more time at the local level. Earlier Monday, he went to the 
National Hurricane Center. After the speech, Mr. Bush will tour the Port of 
Miami and appear at a Republican fundraiser. He also plans sit-downs with Fox 
News and local radio and television stations.

The White House's domestic agenda has been overshadowed in recent days by 
foreign-policy issues. Already Monday, Mr. Bush has twice commented publicly on 
the situation in the Middle East, repeating his desire for a "sustainable" end 
to the violence in southern Lebanon and northern Israel, but resisting calls 
for an immediate ceasefire.

In addition to reiterating his commitment to free trade, Mr. Bush's speech in 
Miami hit on other domestic economic priorities -- low taxes, immigration 
reform and port security.

Write to Henry J. Pulizzi at henry.pulizzi at dowjones.com 

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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