India looks for more from US:Kamal Nath
Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath poured cold water on attempts by the US and Europe to jolt stalled WTO talks forward, saying developed countries needed to propose "real" cuts.
By Agencies |
GENEVA: Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath poured cold water on Wednesday on attempts by the US and Europe to jolt stalled WTO talks forward, saying developed countries needed to propose "real" cuts.
"This is a round where developed countries have to put something on the table," he said as he made a delayed appearance here after his government narrowly survived a confidence vote on Tuesday.
"We have to talk of real cuts." He dismissed a US offer to cut its farm aid as "wholly inadequate." "The offer by the US on OTDS (subsidies) is wholly inadequate and not commensurate with current food prices and with what we are wanting," he said.
On Tuesday, the United States offered to cut official aid to its farmers to below 15 bn dollars a year but found no support from Brazil, which partners India as representative of emerging countries.
The US overture came after an abortive attempt by EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson to jolt the talks into movement on Monday with an announcement that the European Union was now ready to extend tariff cuts on agricultural products to 60 per cent from 54 per cent.
"This is a round where developed countries have to put something on the table," he said as he made a delayed appearance here after his government narrowly survived a confidence vote on Tuesday.
"We have to talk of real cuts." He dismissed a US offer to cut its farm aid as "wholly inadequate." "The offer by the US on OTDS (subsidies) is wholly inadequate and not commensurate with current food prices and with what we are wanting," he said.
On Tuesday, the United States offered to cut official aid to its farmers to below 15 bn dollars a year but found no support from Brazil, which partners India as representative of emerging countries.
The US overture came after an abortive attempt by EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson to jolt the talks into movement on Monday with an announcement that the European Union was now ready to extend tariff cuts on agricultural products to 60 per cent from 54 per cent.
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