BHURBAN, Sept 10: The G-20 ministers on Saturday called upon the richer countries in general and major subsidizers of agriculture produce in particular to respond to the group’s proposals in a constructive way for reforming their agricultural policies.
Addressing at a joint press conference here, Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan, who was heading the two-day ministerial conference, said that the G-20 countries had resolved to continue joint struggle for ensuring market access, elimination of all forms of export subsidies and domestic support being provided by developed countries to their farmers.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology John Chun Wah Tsang, Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath, Brazilian Minister for External Relations Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim, South African Deputy Minister Robert Haydn Davies and Zambian Minister for Trade Dipak Patel also spoke on the occasion.
Mr Khan said that in the agriculture sector, detailed proposals on all the three pillars of agriculture trade — domestic support, export subsidies and market access — were on the table of the G-20.
The commerce minister said that a series of meetings of the G-20 had discussed these issues and now “we have changed our line of action after the failure of earlier two WTO ministerial rounds at Cancun and Seattle”.
He categorically stated that the issuance of many drafts on agriculture negotiations would only result in disaster, adding that the draft through negotiations would be acceptable to all member countries.
“The ball is now in the court of richer countries. They have to show flexibility in their stance on the agriculture sector as a move necessary for forward movement of multilateral trading system,” the minister said.
He said the G-20 was assuming a dominant position in the international trade negotiations. “We learnt from Cancun that removing the focus from the key issue of agriculture and continuing focus on the Singapore issue led to results that were not very encouraging.”
Mr Khan said that a lot of activities were going on ahead of the Hong Kong ministerial meeting to be held in December. Next two weeks are very important to form a decision prior to the Hong Kong meeting, he remarked.
He said the G-20 already had interaction with other developing nations’ groups and it was the consensus that “we should interact with them more and we should try to stand together in moving towards the forthcoming Hong Kong ministerial round”.
In reply to a question, the minister said that an early agreement on the cotton issue was in the interest of developing countries, including Pakistan.
Brazilian Minister Celso Luiz said that the copy of Bhurban G-20 declaration would be handed over to Pascal Lamy by permanent representatives of the member countries at Geneva.
Mr Luiz said that the G-20 countries had given a deadline of five years to the richer countries for elimination of all forms of export subsidies.
He said that the beauty of the G-20 was that it had a unanimous stand on agriculture subsidies. He said that the joint declaration showed that there was consensus and unity among the members.
The deputy minister of South Africa said that the G-20 had given a straight message to the world to have a credible formula for the reduction in tariffs, subsidies and domestic support.
“The richer countries need to come on negotiating table to discuss our proposals. It is the time they show flexibility in their stance on agriculture issues,” he remarked.
Hong Kong’s secretary for commerce and industry said that next three months would
be very crucial for making a breakthrough in the negotiations.
“We would try to make available a good platform for the upcoming ministerial conference in Hong Kong,” he added.
He disclosed that he would arrange a meeting of the civil society in Hong Kong with the WTO director-general ahead of the ministerial conference for getting their views on various issues under negotiations.
The Indian commerce minister said that there was no crack in the G-20. “We are united on agriculture issues. The richer countries should help in providing a free and fair trade in agriculture,” he added.
The Zambian minister demanded an early agreement on cotton, which he said was in the interest of developing countries. “We intend to go all in alliance to Hong Kong for making the round a success,” he added.