Brussels, 27/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - “Faced with the noticeable rise in protectionism, the world has to come to an agreement on the liberalisation of world trade,” said British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown in an interview with the Financial Times on Thursday. Expressing his hope that negotiations would begin again after the American Congress mid-term elections on 7 November, Mr Brown felt that the world would have a window of opportunity lasting a few months; “This is a now or never moment to get the trade talks on course for a settlement,” he said. Mr Brown, the likely successor to Tony Blair as British Prime Minister, went on, “I do believe that, on agriculture, if you look at the negotiating positions of Europe and America, there is scope for movement that could enable India and Brazil to make concessions for a trade agreement”.
Washington is the focus of everyone's attention in expectation of the electoral results that are crucial for what happens next with the Doha negotiations. On Thursday, WTO Director General Pascal Lamy travelled to the United States for a ten-day visit, hoping to persuade the Americans to restart the multilateral talks that have been suspended since the end of July (see EUROPE 9238-9241). During his stay, apart from leaders of international organisations and American economic circles, during his stay Mr Lamy will meet the US main negotiator at the WTO, Trade representative Susan Schwab (in Washington on 2 November). (eh)