Trade ministers to review WTO talks in May in Paris

ON BOARD PM'S SPECIAL AIRCRAFT: Key trade ministers would meet in Paris in the last week of May to find ways for giving impetus to the much-delayed Doha negotiations for a deal on opening commerce.

Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, told reporters that the principal stakeholders would meet before the next meeting of the G-20 scheduled in June. The Prime Minister returned home today after a two-nation tour of the US and Brazil.

"Ministers will be taking stock of the progress on the margins of the OECD Ministerial meeting in Paris on May 25-26," he said.

In his address at the IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa) Summit at Brasilia on April 16, Singh impressed upon the leaders for an early conclusion of the Doha Round of trade negotiations and ending the protectionists policies.

"We should continue to pursue the early conclusion of the Doha Round and trade negotiations because a fair and rule- based multilateral trading system is in our interest," he had said.

Sharma said the progress on the talks was slow as there has been a long delay in the appointment and confirmation of ambassador and chief negotiator of the US in Geneva, the WTO headquarters.

Over 150 WTO members have been negotiating a new agreement for liberalising the world trade since 2001 without a breakthrough.

The talks have been marred by wide differences between the developed and developing countries on the level of opening and protection of their respective markets.