India ready to host WTO meeting; farmers' bodies plan protest

New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) Trade officials from 35
countries met here in India's national capital Wednesday
setting the tone for Thursday's WTO informal Ministerial
meeting being hosted by India to inject political momentum
into Doha talks, meant to open the USD 32-trillion global
trade.

A day before the meeting of key ministers from the US,
European Union, Australia, Brazil, China, South Africa and
Canada, among others, begin amid tight security, Commerce and
Industry Minister Anand Sharma held several bilateral
meetings.

Sharma met Australian Minister of Trade Simon Crean,
News Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser and UK Secretary of
State for International Development Douglas Alexander to
discuss how the divide between the rich and developing
countries be bridged.

Along side, the Left parties and scores of farmers'
bodies and NGOs vowed to hold protest demonstrations in the
city Thursday against free trade conclave.

While the meeting in New Delhi is largely an India
initiative, the WTO has announced schedule for the Ministerial
Meeting of 153 trade ministers (the highest policy-making
organ) in Geneva from November 30-December 2. WTO chief Pascal
Lamy is also attending the informal meeting here.

The contentious issues include farm subsidy in the
developed countries, demand for market access in developing
countries and level of farmers protection there.

Visiting trade ministers from different groupings
would not only hold multilateral talks but will also engage in
bilateral discussions.

The meeting is not likely to come out with a formal
declaration. However, it would have the Chairman's (India's
trade minister) comments.

After the two deliberations, the visiting ministers
will pay a courtesy call to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on
Friday.

Earlier, in the day Australian Trade Minister said at
a CII seminar that the New Delhi meet would provide political
momentum to the Doha talks.

"We want to strengthen them (political momentum)," he
said.

The Australian minister said 2010 deadline set for
completion of the Doha Round of talks could be achieved.

"It is a realistic deadline," Crean said while
cautioning that for completing the talks by next year
political commitment is required.

After his meeting with Sharma, New Zealand Trade
Minister Groser expressed confidence that there would be some
progress on the stalled Doha Round. PTI RK