KARACHI, May 29: The Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has urged G-8 summit leaders, meeting in Evian, France, on June 1-3, that now the Iraq war is over they should put their divisions behind and renew multilateral cooperation for reinvigorating a weak global economy.

Issued in Karachi on the eve of the G-8 meeting of heads of states and governments, the ICC statement expressed concern over the slow pace of progress on the Doha round of WTO negotiations seen as a major factor in liberalization of world trade. A delegation of world business leaders led by ICC chairman Jean-Rene Fourtou also offered their concerns to French President Jacques Chirac about a week ago, says the ICC.

Founded in 1919, the ICC represents trade bodies of 140 countries. “We are concerned that progress so far has not been as rapid and substantial as it ought to be if the WTO ministerial conference scheduled for September this year in Cancun is to propel the negotiations to a successful conclusion by the end of 2004 as mandated at Doha,” the statement added while acknowledging considerable work done in this connection at Geneva.

Recently, the impression has gained ground that the United States was more interested in bilateral free trade and regional trade blocs and was sidelining the WTO. Instead of Doha agenda, the United States is giving importance to Singapore issues — investment, competition policy, government procurement and trade that would benefit the developed states.

Western diplomats see these issues as “more mainstream” in the WTO negotiations. Washington is not responding to negotiations on issue like cheaper medicines for poor nations and withdrawal of farm subsidy by rich nations to help exports of developing states. In view of the position taken by the United States, the IMF officials believe that the WTO talks are heading towards a deadlock. It is widely believed that developing states will not concede anything without progress on Doha agenda.

In the statement released here by ICC Pakistan chairman Tariq M. Rangoonwala, the ICC has advocated a balanced approach for mutual benefit of developed and developing countries.

The International Chamber of Commerce urged the G-8 heads of states and governments to accord priority to Doha negotiations in order to address interests and concerns of developing countries. The primary goal must be to improve substantially their access to developed markets and especially for products in which they possess a competitive advantage.

Acknowledging that it will require difficult reforms and adjustments in certain sectors in developed countries, the ICC stresses that it would have a vital bearing on the ability of the poor nations to lift themselves out of poverty by their own efforts and earn a better living in a global economy.

The ICC has also asked the WTO governments to finalize Doha agenda and address key issues of investment, trade facilitation and the government procurement. It feels that the Cancun meeting should work on a balanced result that all the WTO members subscribe to and can be approved through a consensus.

At the outset, the ICC says that the world believes strongly that the rules-based multilateral trading system, managed through the World Trade Organization, is one of the central pillars of international co-operation.