The Hindu Business Line : India ready to return to WTO talks if US response positive

NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday said it is willing to get back to global trade talks if WTO chief Mr Pascal Lamy gets a positive signal from US next week for resolving the Doha deadlock on issue of safeguards for farmers in developing countries.

“We have always said if the WTO Director General feels there is a chance for (another) opening, then we will be prepared to come again to Geneva,” said the Commerce Secretary Mr G K Pillai on the sidelines of a FICCI-CUTS conference here.

Mr Pillai said Mr Lamy “would get back to us,” after he visits the US and completes consultations with others. A marathon meeting of 30 trade ministers failed to reach a common ground when they met in Geneva on July 21-29 on an issue of the level of prot ection for developing countries in case of import surge post a market-opening Doha deal.

In the core group of seven nations, India and China rejected the US proposals which would have meant little flexibility with the developing countries in case imports of agricultural commodities surge.

“At 40 per cent (trigger for levying safeguard duty) my farmers would have committed suicides,” said the Commerce and Industry Minister Mr Kamala Nat had said.

While Mr Limy declined to comment on whether he was trying another meeting of ministers, reports suggest chances of another major attempt to reach a breakthrough on a deal which, many hope, could provide the much-needed stimulus to the world economy, mar ked by slowdown and food crisis.

Participating in a panel discussion, Mr Limy said there is a critical need for building consensus “as there is no other option available at this time”. He said world trade has dramatically changed in the last two decades.

“We now have 15 trade unions (country and regional groupings) within the WTO, which as powerful coalitions negotiate on the nitty gritty of trade,” Mr Lamy said. - PTI

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