By KUNA,
Geneva : A US official David Shark nbbsp;named today by name two countries India and China for blocking the current negotiations to reach a conclusion to the Doha Development Round . “One major emerging economy (India) immediately rejected the package, and subsequently another major emerging economy (China) walked away from it. Their actions have thrown the entire Doha Round – the Doha Development Round into tthe gravest jeopardy of its nearly seven year life,” he stressed.
He warned that unless these two Members immediately reverse course to become problem solvers rather than obstacles to the Round, all of us will leave Geneva empty-handed.
Addressing the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) he added that all their invocations of development during the past years ring hollow when these major players threaten the development benefits already on the table that are absolutely vital to the vast majority of the Membership.
In both cases, these members are insisting on the ability to raise agricultural tariffs in violation of their current WTO commitments (tariff bindings), even when they have excluded these items from any tariff cut whatsoever in these negotiations.
“Even more damaging to the Round, these two countries have actively enlisted the support of poorer developing countries for these positions. Ironically, these policies would have their most serious detrimental effects on precisely those poorer developing countries that already have such limited agricultural export capabilities,” stressed Shark. He added that China has indicated that it intends to shield cotton, sugar, rice and other commodities from any tariff cuts whatsoever.
“The United States has consistently maintained that the price for us to cut our agricultural subsidies and protection is for other major trading partners to open their markets for such commodities. Not to mention the importance of China’s market for other developing country agricultural exporters,” he said. China and India responded during the TNC meeting this morning and refuted the American statement by confirming their commitment to the round.