Archive - 2005

Though there are problems in all the critical areas of agriculture, viz., market access, domestic subsidy and export subsidy, the key questions are in the domestic subsidy of the developed countries

Now that the Ministerial has arrived, we will endeavor to send out a daily report from Hong Kong

Facilitator for agriculture at this week’s WTO’s sixth ministerial conference in Hong Kong, Mukhisa Kituyi, said in Geneva on Saturday he intends to conduct discussions in all three pillars of Doha Development Agenda farm negotiations adding that he wants to explore with trade ministers where they can arrive at figures to be plugged into the liberalization formulas

Wal-Mart Hopes WTO Will Help It Open a Door Big retailers will seek to alter a services pact. Local officials fear a loss of power to limit firms.

The charity Christian Aid has cited leaked documents to say that the European Union (EU) will push developing nations to privatise services such as water, healthcare and banking at the trade ministers meeting in Hong Kong this week.

The problem is not the inability to resolve differences among the WTO country members, but the model of development that the WTO promotes.

US Trade Representative Rob Portman told reporters he is optimistic that members can make 'incremental' progress on some substantial issues as well as arrive at a plan for least developed countries

Around 3,000 protesters waving signs reading 'Junk the WTO' and 'Life is not for sale' marched in a carnival atmosphere in the shade of skyscrapers in one of the world's main financial centres.

The Hong Kong government is mustering all its propaganda skills to create a climate of fear as the meeting approaches, to justify cracking down on any dissent and keep the substantive issues off the front pages