Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, today expressed concern that preparations for the Seattle World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial were being frustrated by those seeking continued discrimination against agriculture in the WTO. He was responding to recent reports overseas that the position of the Cairns Group of fifteen agricultural fair trading nations was stalling progress. "Australia and the Cairns Group are committed to the successful launch of agriculture negotiations as part of the Seattle meeting. I am therefore concerned at attempts by the EU, Japan and others like Switzerland and Norway to deflect attention from their own uncompromising positions in this way", Mr Vaile said. "It is less than three weeks to Seattle and while these countries make big demands for the issues of interest to them in other sectors, they offer little in return on agriculture. Rather they are arguing that non-trade concerns should be given as much importance as removing agricultural protection and subsidies. There is no basis for this. "For Australia, its Cairns Group partners and most developing countries a key element in Seattle is to agree on a mandate for real liberalisation of trade in all agrifood products. This means providing substantial improvement in market access, the elimination of trade-distorting agricultural subsidies and fairer trade rules. "Despite positive signs from some of these countries at the Lausanne Ministerial two weeks ago, there has been no real follow-through in recent discussions in Geneva. They are part of a small group of WTO Members pushing for an ambitious agenda of WTO negotiations in all but one area - agriculture. But a balanced agenda cannot ignore the one area where most WTO members have comparative advantage - and where continuation of fundamental reform was paid for in the Uruguay Round. "To do so would also ignore the interests of developing countries who most of all need fair agricultural markets. For them agriculture is a matter of economic survival. "Australia intends to approach the Seattle Ministerial in a positive, pragmatic and flexible spirit. I call on others to do the same", Mr Vaile said. Mr Vaile said he was hoping to speak to European Trade Commissioner, Pascal Lamy, in the next few days to discuss issues related to the Seattle meeting.
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