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Our Bureau

`The best way to face such hurdles is to give them (the developed nations) in the same coin.'

Hyderabad , Nov. 15

INDIA has asserted it won't say `yes' to any agreement at the upcoming WTO ministerial conference in Hong Kong unless the interests of the farming community are safeguarded.

Mr G. K. Pillai, Additional Secretary (Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry), said the Government was aware of the interests and sensitivities. He was addressing a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) seminar on `WTO and India: A roadmap for Hong Kong Ministerial Conference' here on Tuesday. "We will see to it these sensitivities are protected at all costs."

At the Hong Kong meet, the Indian side will also insist on access to a safeguard mechanism for special products. He said non-tariff trade barriers are a hard reality. The best way to face such hurdles is to give them (the developed nations) in the same coin. These countries were hurt by the same blocks, which forced them to come to discussions.

He said if Indian farmers were to tap the export potential, they need to meet the required standards. He cited the success story of Karnataka's gherkin farmers in the international market.

Mr Pillai, who also heads the Trade Policy Division on WTO issues in the Ministry, said the Government had discussions with all the stakeholders to build up India's argument in the international fora. He said these issues would be discussed in detail in the ensuing Parliament session. Mr S. Narayanan, former Ambassador of India to WTO, said that the organisation was not the reason for problems in the Indian agricultural sector.

Dr Parthapratim Pal of Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations said that developing countries must link tariff reduction to subsidy reduction.

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