Australian Trade Minister chairs constructive meeting on WTO Doha Round

Australian Government Minister for Trade, Warren Truss, chaired a meeting of trade ministers on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Round negotiations in Paris on 16 May.

The meeting was attended by almost 20 ministers, including those from the United States, the European Union, Brazil, India, Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and South Africa. WTO Director-General, Pascal Lamy, also participated.

"The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to take stock of where the negotiations stand, with a number of key players in the WTO Doha Round able to participate and contribute valuable perspectives," Mr Truss said.

"The discussion was constructive. All ministers showed goodwill and reiterated their determination to make progress.

"There was a sense of greater optimism that a way forward will be found. But it was also clear we have a long way to go and that we do not have much time left in which to make the key breakthroughs needed to finish the Round this year.

"We urgently need to build on the tentative signs of progress amongst the major economies if the negotiations are to deliver new commercial opportunities on agriculture, industrial products and services," Mr Truss said.

Mr Truss also attended a meeting of the G6 with ministers from Brazil, the European Union, Japan, India and the United States to discuss the Doha Round and exchanged views in bilateral meetings with Ministers from several other countries.

He also participated in the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting. The meeting agreed to enlarge that organisation's membership and, importantly from Australia's perspective, to engage more actively with key developing economies, particularly those in Asia.

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