Kamal Nath meets WTO Director General

New Delhi, July 18 : Ahead of the crucial mini ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization being held in Geneva from July 21, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath met here today World Trade Organisation Director General Pascal Lamy and articulated key Indian concerns on the agricultural marketing, employment generation and promoting small industrial sector.

Nath stated that flexibilities for developing countries have to be adequate and appropriate for addressing the sensitivities of individual members. There can be no caveats such as number and trade volume limitations as proposed by the US to the usage of these flexibilities.

He also said that in agriculture, India hopes to use the revised text on special products (SPs) and Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) to help India promote the Indian agriculture sector.

Nath is slated to attend a G-33 meeting today and thereafter meet Secretary of state of Commerce and International Relations of Argentina, Alfredo Chiaradia and Brazilian Foreign minister Celso Amorim.

These meetings assume importance in the light of the fact that the developing countries need to effectively coordinate in arriving at a successful deal for themselves in the present negotiations beginning on July 21.

ANI