Truss welcomes WTO call to resume Doha negotiations

The call today by the Director-General of the World Trade Organization for officials to restart critical trade talks under the Doha Round is a welcome first step, the Australian Government's Minister for Trade, Warren Truss, said today.

Speaking from Hanoi where he is attending APEC Ministerial Meetings, Mr Truss said much still needed to be done.

"Australia won't be satisfied to merely resume at the same point as where negotiations were suspended in July," Mr Truss said.

"It is necessary for everyone - the European Union, the Americans, and other developed and developing countries alike - to come up with new initiatives.

"Australia has put forward its own 'five and five' proposal and we would like to see other new proposals also coming forward."

The 'five and five' plan involves the United States cutting farm subsidies by a further five billion dollars and the European Union cutting agricultural tariffs by another five percent. We would also expect to see comparable concessions on special products for the developing world.

Mr Truss told other ministers in Hanoi today that if the Doha Round did not proceed, nations would make more bilateral deals on trade. Those interested in a fairer and substantial agreement benefitting world trade could then take the best aspects of those deals and should be prepared to put them into the multilateral context.

Media Inquiries: Minister Truss' office 02 6277 7420 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555