Del.icio.us  Digg  facebook  MySpace  Twitter  Google  Bookmark Me  LinkedIn  StumbleUpon  Permalink

G10 Countries Call for Wider WTO Ag Talk Participation

Last month, discussions between the World Trade Organization's Group of Four - the U.S., EU, Brazil and India - broke up over disagreements on farm subsidies and market access. This week, the WTO's Group of Ten food importing countries says it opposes the G-4's attempts to outline an agreement on their own and called for wider participation in agricultural issues in the stalled Doha Round of global trade talks.

Japanese Agriculture Minister Norihiko Akagi and his counterparts in the G-10 issued a statement Monday saying that the WTO's multilateral process "needs to be intensified to allow for a successful conclusion" of the Doha Round.

The G-10 also says the Doha talks should give consideration to sensitive agricultural products that importing countries protect with high tariffs. The group hopes to see its sentiments reflected in the expected draft accord on farm trade expected to be presented later this month by the ag negotiation chairman.