November 24, 2009
Philippine negotiators brace for WTO surprises
Philippine negotiators brace for WTO surprises
Trade negotiators in the Philippines bound to the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland are preparing for surprises which some negotiators from the developed countries may spring up.
Agriculture negotiator Segfredo Serrano and non-agricultural market access (NAMA) bargainer Butch Benedicto have assured the public that they are ready for any startling developments that may pop up during the talks.
During a briefing on the latest developments in WTO talks called by the congressional committee on globalization, Benedicto said the stalled WTO talks will resume this week, but the sessions are not yet formal negotiations on raging issues between the developed and developing worlds.
The Philippine delegation to be led by Trade Secretary Peter Favila is prepared to guard against moves to defeat the gains already made in previous talks, Benedicto assured.
For his part, Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Serrano said that in previous meetings, some of the ministers from the highly developed countries almost always pulled surprises.
The latest example was the recent Singapore talks where new proposals were laid on the table even when it was not supposed to be a negotiating session. The ministers are mandated by their own governments to work for their own interests during the negotiations, and nobody could stop them from talking with their counterparts from other countries.
Serrano and Benedicto fear that the biggest countries may reverse what have been agreed in past sessions.
Serrano said some of them may manoeuvre to reverse the consensus basis of arriving at agreements which is bad to small countries like the Philippines.
