Futuríveis
segunda-feira, julho 24, 2006
US blamed as trade talks end in acrimony
The world trade talks that were supposed to relieve poverty and improve economic growth collapsed into indefinite suspension on Monday, after nearly five years of protracted wrangling.
A last-ditch meeting in Geneva of the six core “Doha round” negotiators – India, Brazil, the US, EU Japan and Australia – broke up amid recriminations over irreconcilable differences about farm liberalisation. The US continued to argue for big cuts in farm import tariffs to open up markets for its farmers, a demand fiercely rejected by the European Union, Japan and India, who said America had first to go further in offering to cut agricultural subsidies.
The Doha round, which began in November 2001, will now enter indefinite suspension unless and until a consensus within the World Trade Organisation’s 149 member countries can be found to revive it.
The White House’s authority from the US Congress to negotiate trade deals expires next year. Most experts and officials think Congress unlikely to renew that authority, rendering any near-term agreement impossible.
The amount of work required to complete an agreement meant that the end of this month was in effect a deadline for a deal.
Four of the six countries present rounded on the US as the culprit for the collapse in the talks, which started on Sunday and ended on Monday....
FT.com / World / International economy - US blamed as trade talks end in acrimony
