Facilitators at the World Trade Organisation headquarters in Geneva are excited about the latest remarks from India and the United States about ?breaking the impasse? over the Doha round of talks, and have called for a fresh meeting in early July to dwell on contentious issues in agriculture. India, however, has decided not to send its negotiators for these informal talks, arguing that the Doha round is not on the US? priority list yet despite its positive posturing at the Cairn group meeting over farm subsidies this month.
?The new Obama administration has neither appointed chief negotiators for industry or agriculture talks at WTO, nor an ambassador to Geneva, six months after assuming office. The deputy US trade representative has only been appointed recently. It?s pointless sending our negotiators to Geneva when there?s no one to talk to, except some flunkeys who can?t be expected to make any commitments,? a senior commerce ministry official told FE .
Moreover, officials point to America?s domestic polity priorities that would compel it to put the Doha round talks on the backburner. ?With its own economy in a shambles and issues like healthcare reforms and climate change expected to take precedence in the US Congress? agenda, the Doha round will have to wait. Several US political representatives have already said that the Doha round, in its current shape, is not acceptable,? the official explained.
Neither India nor the US want to be seen as stalling the talks, as they have been painted by WTO director general Pascal Lamy as the two key ?spoilers? of the talks.
?In July 2008, when talks broke down in Geneva, the entire world?s press painted India as the culprit. When the same stalemate continued in November, the blame was put on the US. Now, even if they don?t want to achieve progress on Doha, neither country wants to openly say it,? the official said.
Earlier this month, US trade representative Ron Kirk promised a ?fresh approach? to Doha negotiations, when the Cairn group nations that control 25% of global farm trade met in Bali to discuss farm subsidies. India?s commerce minister Anand Sharma?s statement last week that the ?impasse had been broken? also needs to be seen in this light.
As for India, there is no change in stance at the WTO from the one held by previous trade minister Kamal Nath. ?Whether it?s the BJP, the Left or the Congress in power, the core issues for India?ensuring livelihood security for India?s 600 million farmers?will never be compromised. There is a need to be more circumspect about interpreting the constant banter on trade talks,? another commerce ministry official said.