Brussels, 15/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - In a speech delivered on Monday in London, Tony Blair called on the EU and the United States to “break the logjam” in the Doha Round agricultural talks and to show proof of greater audacity with a view to the ministerial conference in Hong Kong in December this year (EUROPE 9065 and 9066). Blair, who has made the fight against poverty one of the priorities of the British G8 presidency, mainly stressed how important it is for developing countries for there to be an agreement at the WTO which would allow renewed hope for one fifth of the world's population living on less than one dollar a day. A credible date is therefore needed for the end of export subsidies, Mr Blair stressed, nonetheless adding that the emergent countries, and Brazil and India in particular, ought to make a move when it comes to lowering industrial tariffs and services liberalisation (see other articles).
On the eve of the Asian-pacific Economic Forum (APEC) in Pusan (South Korea) next Friday and Saturday, the Australian minister for foreign affairs, Alexander Downer, whose country is an active member of the Cairns Group agricultural exporters group, called on the EU to present its best offer on access to farm markets. This point, he added, is crucial for the success of the meeting in Hong Kong in December.