November 22, 2006

US committed to make Doha Talks successful

The US is committed to a successful end to the Doha Round of trade talks under the auspices of the World Trade Organization, US Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Tuesday (Nov 21).

"We can't allow Doha round to fail--the key is flexibility by everybody," Johanns said at an industry gathering.

He said there is an opportunity to improve the economic health of many nations, including India, that is locked away in the stalled Doha negotiations.

Johanns said India could lead the way in unlocking the Doha negotiations by offering greater market access for farm goods.

He said India and other countries won't receive the benefits of trade from the Doha round if special products, sensitive goods and special safeguard mechanisms exclude large numbers of tariff lines from reduction.

"The Doha round is about reducing barriers, not building them," he said.

Johanns said both India and the US are committed to the mutual benefits of globalisation.

"We are at risk of letting those benefits slip through our fingers if we allow Doha to slip away," he said.

Johanns said India and other developing countries stand to gain the most from multilateral trade reform.