November 12, 2001	Monday	Shaba’an 25, 1422

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DOHA, Nov 11: World Trade Organization members meeting in Doha to launch new global trade talks still faces “wide areas of differences,” Pakistan warned on Sunday.

“Very intensive negotiations will have to be continued in the next 24 to 48 hours if we are to reconcile our positions,” a Pakistani official said.

Pakistan, India, Malaysia and ten other so-called “like-minded nations” are pressing the WTO members to put development issues at the heart of the debate.

But developing nations appear divided on whether to accept the launch of new global talks being demanded by the United States, the European Union and WTO chief Mike Moore.

Indian Trade Minister Murasoli Maran has rejected calls for a new WTO round, saying the world trading system must not be thrust into uncharted territory.

But the Pakistani official said a majority of developing countries could accept new negotiations “under certain circumstances.”

Outlining these at the WTO opening session, Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood said trading nations must be prepared to “rectify the inequity of the past.”

“The promised benefits from the Uruguay Round - specially from textiles and agriculture liberalization - have failed to transpire,” Dawood told the global trade club.

The Doha meeting must also accept a “development agenda,” Dawood said.

This included action to remove tariff peaks and escalations, the meaningful liberalization of the movement of people and services and access to affordable medicines, he added.

Developing countries also want improved access to Western agricultural markets and changes in anti-dumping rules.

They oppose EU calls for a link between trade and the environment and any toughening up of WTO references to labour standards. Malaysian Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz said poor countries had valid concerns that such links could be used for protectionist purposes.

Razak Dawood said: “The Pakistani delegation is deeply concerned at the insertion of a reference to labour standards in the draft declaration despite the strong objections of developing countries.”

Pakistani diplomats denied suggestions that the WTO members were using Indian-Pakistani rivalries to split developing nations’ solidarity.

“On trade there is a large convergence of position between India and Pakistan,” the Pakistani official said.

Despite pressure from Western nations anxious to launch new global talks, “so far developing nations are hanging in there together,” he added.