"The central theme of any negotiations should be to focus on all-rounddevelopment capable of eradicating poverty. We believe that tradenegotiations should concentrate on core issues of market access ensuringsmooth flow of trade based on the priniciple of equity," minister ofindustry and commerce Murasoli Maran told the third ministerial conferencehere.

He criticised the developed countries who were avoiding "substantiveengagement" in finding solution to implementation issues on the plea thesewould involve re-negotiation of agreements and said "this is a disturbingsignal. Addressing the implementation issue effectively upfront will aloneensure an image of fairness and equity to WTO".

Maran emphasised that the previous Uruguay Round had not served allmembership well and said that "asymetries and inequities" existed in severalagreements including those relating to anti-dumping, subsidies, intellectualproperty and trade related intellectual measures.

He also said benefits expected from the agreements on textiles andagriculture were not realised and this was a matter of concern, adding thespecial and differential treatment clauses extending special concessions todeveloping countries had remained "virtually inoperative".

On bringing in labour standards and environment as the core issues, Maransaid "any further move will cause deep divisions and distrust that can onlyharm the formation of a consensus on our future work programme."

India was fully committed to the observance of labour standards and hadratified most ILO conventions. "We also cherish all the values of democracy,workers'rights and good governance". These issues however were not under theWTO purview.

Maran made it clear that India in good faith had agreed at Marrakesh to theestablishment of a WTO committee on trade and environment. "We would howeverstrongly oppose any attempt to either change the committee's structure ormandate which can be used for legitimising unilateral trade restrictivemeasures".

Maran said the TRIPs agreement placed the rights of a patent holder on ahigher pedestal than obligations.