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WTO trade talks enters ninth day in tense atmosphere
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-29 22:33 "Developed countries are asking for flexibilities for commercial interests. Developing countries are looking to protect the poor and for provisions that will help them out of poverty, while developed countries are looking for provisions which will lead to greater prosperity," Nath said. Chinese ambassador to the WTO Sun Zhenyu described the US finger pointing as "surprising," urging the world's largest economy to show flexibility instead of threatening developing countries. "We have tried very hard to contribute to the success of the round," Sun told delegates. "It is a little bit surprising that at this time the US started this finger-pointing." "They have to remember that this is a Development Round. If they cover all their sensitivities for themselves, and keep on putting threats on developing countries, I think we are going nowhere," the ambassador said. India is demanding for more flexibility under the special safeguard mechanism, while China wants to protect certain sensitive agriculture products like cotton, sugar and rice from deep tariff cuts, which was allowed by the mandate of the Doha Round. Both were supported by a large portion of poorer developing countries, while others said the demands are justified in light of food security and the still enormous numbers of small farmers that the two countries have to care for. |
