Lamy meets PM, discusses global trade

New Delhi, Jan 19 (UNI) WTO Director General Pascal Lamy today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed steps to revive the Doha round of talks on global trade.

At the 30-minute meeting held at the official residence of Dr Singh at 7 Race Course Road here, Mr Lamy sought softening of stand by India, which along with Brazil has taken up the cause of developing countries, for reopening the talks for successfully concluding an agreement.

Official sources said the WTO chief, however, made it clear that he was for all the countries, including the US and other developed nations, to make concessions on domestic farm subsidies and services and other non-tariff barriers.

India has expressed its willingness to make concessions on industrial goods, but has made it clear that there cannot be any compromise on protecting its vulnerable agriculture sector.

The Doha Round, which began in 2001, was suspended in July last year folowing differences over the proposed rules of the global trade.

Mr Lamy's meeting with the Prime Minister comes amidst efforts by US trade representative Susan Schwab and EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson to break the deadlock over the talks.

About 30 top trade officials, including Ms Schwab, will meet next week in Davos, Switzerland, during the annual World Economic Forum.

It is hoped that their meeting hopefully will help set the stage for a breaktrough in the coming months.

The United States and its trading partners have been discussing what each side needs to do in the five-year-old Doha round of world trade talks to reach a deal, even though no new proposals have been made public.

The US is under pressure to make deeper cuts in its domestic farm subsidies, but has insisted it can only do that if other countries offer more substantial market openings in agriculture as well as manufacturing and services.

UNI