Vaile Urges WTO Members to Grasp Doha Opportunity

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile has urged World Trade Organisation member countries to put aside their differences to ensure the Doha Round of trade negotiations is completed on time.

Speaking after a series of WTO related meetings at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Vaile said failure to complete the round risked losing the chance to pull millions of people out of poverty and boost the global economy for another generation.

"Global trade reform will of course be good for Australian exporters, but trade liberalisation in agriculture - the focus of this round - is also the best means of pulling millions of the world's poorest people out of poverty," Mr Vaile said.

Mr Vaile said deadlines set at the WTO Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong were not unrealistic and he welcomed Ministers' endorsement in Davos of a work plan for the year ahead.

"The mood among Ministers here in Davos has been positive. I am pleased that everyone is committed to a positive outcome. But what is clear is that we need to trust each other and be prepared to be frank in what each country is able to agree to, to conclude this negotiation.

"We cannot continue to baulk at making commitments because we want someone else to move first. All areas of the negotiations need to move forward together.

"We have already missed previous deadlines for the round and if we think that there can be a further extension, the risk is it won't just be a 12 month extension. It will be a five year or longer extension because we will run into the expiry of Trade Promotion Authority in the US and we don't know if the US administration would gain further approval from Congress.

"Protectionist sentiment is rising in some quarters so we have to commit to the challenging but achievable deadlines trade ministers have agreed to.

"Australian farmers and exporters deserve to have their faith in trade liberalisation rewarded in this round. They have stayed the course since the conclusion of the Uruguay Round and I am committed to advancing their interests."

Contact: Carissa Buckland 02 62 777420