By NNN-PTI,
Geneva : India found itself at the receiving end of the blame game with trade ministers making “painfully slow” progress into the fifth day of hectic negotiations to reach an elusive WTO pact for opening up the global trade.
“They (developed nations) are charging me that I am breaking the talks,” Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said here.
Developed countries, mainly the US, EU and Canada, are mounting criticism on India stating it remains the main stumbling block.
Nath said when he came her on July 23 here after his UPA Government’s winning the confidence vote, his counterparts in the rich nations were expecting a breakthrough.
“They are telling me that since you arrived, you are making things more difficult. We were moving alright. When you won the trust vote we were happy and thought you would come and help us,” Nath said.
Director General of World Trade Organisation (WTO) Pascal Lamy said “time is running out”. In an informal meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee he said, “some convergences have been recorded but progress remains painfully slow after four days of Ministerial-level negotiations”.
Expressing his disappointment, Lamy said “the world outside will not understand if we fail to grasp this opportunity to conclude a Round that already has a great deal on the table”.
Sources told PTI that India is holding its ground because it is not happy with the way the developed countries have “managed” Brazil and China, the key members of different alliances of the developing nations.
In the backdrop slow progress, the talks may be extended to another day, officials said.NDIA AT RECEIVING END OF BLAME GAME AT WTO
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GENEVA, July 26 (NNN-PTI) — India found itself at the receiving end of the blame game with trade ministers making “painfully slow” progress into the fifth day of hectic negotiations to reach an elusive WTO pact for opening up the global trade.
“They (developed nations) are charging me that I am breaking the talks,” Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said here.
Developed countries, mainly the US, EU and Canada, are mounting criticism on India stating it remains the main stumbling block.
Nath said when he came her on July 23 here after his UPA Government’s winning the confidence vote, his counterparts in the rich nations were expecting a breakthrough.
“They are telling me that since you arrived, you are making things more difficult. We were moving alright. When you won the trust vote we were happy and thought you would come and help us,” Nath said.
Director General of World Trade Organisation (WTO) Pascal Lamy said “time is running out”. In an informal meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee he said, “some convergences have been recorded but progress remains painfully slow after four days of Ministerial-level negotiations”.
Expressing his disappointment, Lamy said “the world outside will not understand if we fail to grasp this opportunity to conclude a Round that already has a great deal on the table”.
Sources told PTI that India is holding its ground because it is not happy with the way the developed countries have “managed” Brazil and China, the key members of different alliances of the developing nations.
In the backdrop slow progress, the talks may be extended to another day, officials said.