December 21, 2005, The Hindu Business Line
New Delhi, India
WTO draft
I read with interest the piece “WTO draft ministerial text: One step forward, two steps back” (Business Line, December 7). The article has rightly spotted that I stuck to the “bottom-up” approach, which Members feel so strongly about in drafting texts for consideration of ministers.
I read with interest the piece “WTO draft ministerial text: One step forward, two steps back” (Business Line, December 7). The article has rightly spotted that I stuck to the “bottom-up” approach, which Members feel so strongly about in drafting texts for consideration of ministers.
It has the advantage of mirroring faithfully the situation of the negotiation, not introducing through the back door convergence, which did not appear by the front door.
It has the inconvenience of mirroring faithfully the situation of the negotiation… which is 5 per cent above the July framework… 50 per cent of the road, as can be seen by the final text. This text was adopted by the General Council, which has not happened since 10 years.
On balance, I believe that, given the very short time remaining for the negotiation in 2006, a clean mirror should be the best incentive to move forward.