Brussels, 13/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - After his first visit to Geneva from 11 to 13 May, newly appointed US Trade Representative Ron Kirk called for a new method of negotiation to be found in order to conclude the Doha talks more rapidly, as the talks have been at a standstill since July 2008. Speaking at a press conference at the WTO head office, where clarification on the position of the Obama administration was eagerly awaited, Kirk said he and President Obama had pledged to conclude the Doha talks successfully and as rapidly as possible. “We should be willing to consider changes to the process that would put the negotiations on a more direct path to success”, he said, saying they wanted to build on the progress already made and find the best way to accomplish this. He remained evasive, however, regarding the new method of negotiation recommended by Washington. “Whatever vehicle we've all be loaded on to get to Doha hasn't gotten us there. Perhaps we should think less about the vehicles … what's important is in the bus, not the vehicle. If we need to look at a different delivery mechanism, let's be open to do that. But let's not sacrifice the basic underlying principles, but make sure that we're open to whatever it is that might drive us to a successful conclusion”, Kirk explained.
Dedicated to development, the Doha talks begun in 2001 are being held up by the persistent differences between developed and emerging countries regarding liberalisation of agricultural trade and manufactured goods. The ministerial meeting in Geneva in July 2008, which was to bring about a compromise between the 153 member nations on arrangements for liberalisation in these two sectors, plus the services sector, stalled because of the deep cleavage in views between the United States and India over the special safeguard mechanism. This mechanism is intended to protect the agriculture of developing countries from a massive and sudden rise in imports, and from disagreement between developed and emerging countries on the industrial chapter, especially the dossier on sectoral agreements which, on a voluntary basis for member states, provides for the total phasing out of customs duties in 14 industrial sectors. Since then, negotiations, which are being continued at technical level in Geneva, have been slowed down at political level, pending a clearer stance by the new American administration in place since end January.
“We see it not only as a critical component of what the President believes will be an overall worldwide response to the economic crisis, but also critical to the sustenance of many of our least developed countries”, Kirk went on to say. He pointed out that, in their view, success means a balanced and ambitious agreement with headway made when it comes to market access for all parties involved. After meetings with WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton, Swiss Minister for the Economy Doris Leuthard and the ambassadors of WTO negotiating groups or member countries, Ron Kirk, who had gone to Geneva to take the temperature of the talks, also said he was very pleased with the exchange of views with his partners whose “sincerity, commitment and passion” for concluding the Round “surprised” him. (E.H./transl.jl)