ISLAMABAD, June 12: The G-20 and other developing states groups have reaffirmed to play an active role and to engage constructively at the highest level to move the Doha Round negotiating process towards a successful conclusion by end of the current calendar year.
This was stated by Pakistan Permanent Office in Geneva in a statement released here by commerce ministry on Tuesday. The groups also expect the major trading partners to show flexibility and political will for an ambitious and balanced result.
Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan represented Pakistan in these meetings.
Ministers and high Officials of G-20 countries, African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Group, African Group, Small, Vulnerable Economies (SVEs), the Cotton-4, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and NAMA-11 met in Geneva to assess the role of the agriculture negotiations in the Doha Round.
The groups recalled that agriculture lay at the centre of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). A meaningful outcome in farm negotiations, in line with the commitments of the Doha mandate, should guarantee substantial reduction in trade distorting domestic support coupled with necessary disciplines, substantial improvement in market access; and expeditious elimination of all forms of export subsidies within the 2013 deadline.
The ministers stressed the centrality of the multilateral process in Geneva. In this regard, they noted with satisfaction that the Groups have been fully engaged in the chairman’s “challenges paper” process. The G-20 has recently tabled comments on the “challenges paper,” trying to address the concerns of developing countries while contributing to the search for an agreed multilateral outcome.
As the multilateral discussions proceed towards the definition of modalities, “balance” will be the guiding principle. Balance within agriculture and between agriculture and NAMA should be ascertained to make this round a development round on the basis of the mandates contained in the Doha Declaration, the July 2004 Framework and the Hong Kong Declaration.
They further reiterated their determination to achieve a balanced and proportionate outcome with a comparable high-level of ambition both in agriculture and in NAMA, as instructed under paragraph 24 of the Hong-Kong Ministerial Declaration
The ministers noted with satisfaction that there is growing support for the view that the G-20 position on the three pillars constitutes the balanced centre of gravity in the agricultural negotiations and, indeed, the only possible zone of convergence.The centre of gravity in domestic support should reflect the commitment to effective cuts. This is especially so in relation to the OTDS, for which a “low-teen” number reflects the only possible outcome and the position of an overwhelming majority of members.
Furthermore, a centre of gravity in domestic support must also incorporate a combination of cuts and disciplines. Disciplines must credibly avoid product shifting or box shifting.