| The negotiations with the United States are still | | | | Celso Amorin, the Brazilian Minister of Foreign |
| ongoing and Cabinet is reviewing progress and will | | | | Relations, said he was "prepared to be locked up in a |
| consider how to move forward. | | | | room with the US and European negotiators together |
| While the pressure is on Malaysian negotiators with a | | | | with Lamy (Pascal Lamy, WTO director-general), |
| "deadline" of the impending expiry of the fast-track, | | | | throw away the key until we reach an agreement". |
| the same deadline applies to the multilateral trade | | | | Even with the right noises made when the trade |
| negotiations under the auspices of the World Trade | | | | ministers met in Davos on the sidelines of the annual |
| Organisation (WTO). | | | | World Economic Forum last month, there has been |
| It is perhaps more important from a developing | | | | little progress since. |
| country perspective that the Doha Development | | | | Lamy, who has been shuttling between Washington, |
| Round, which has been comatose since last July, be | | | | Brussels and other European capitals, said there was |
| revived. | | | | a need to "switch from a flying zone to an approach |
| It is essential that developed countries, including the | | | | mode" in the negotiations. He, nevertheless, stressed |
| US and the European Union, deliver on their | | | | that the change can only be done "when you get a |
| development promise of the round ahead of the | | | | signal from the ground that it is appropriate to land". |
| expiry of the fast-track authority. | | | | Since there are no clear signs for a "landing", |
| The multilateral trade negotiations, which were "sold" | | | | countries are looking to bilateral and regional free |
| to the developing countries, are being held hostage | | | | trade arrangements. |
| by the developed countries with focus on their | | | | Amorin notes that bilateral agreements are not driven |
| development agenda. | | | | by trade but other reasons. He stresses the need for |
| The expiry of the US fast-track authority also means | | | | a "balanced agreement in a multilateral forum like the |
| that the Doha Development Agenda, too, will be | | | | WTO". |
| subjected to the same scrutiny as the Malaysia-US | | | | Lamy, who has the difficult task of bringing everyone |
| bilateral agreement, if and when it is concluded. | | | | to the table, reviving the multilateral negotiations and |
| The window to conclude the multilateral negotiations, | | | | getting them on track, pointed out that the purpose |
| for it to be submitted to Congress for approval | | | | of the Doha Development Round was to "re-balance |
| before expiry of the fast-track authority, is also | | | | the system in favour of developing countries". |
| closing fast. | | | | Sounding exasperated, Lamy said, "It's about tariffs |
| Prospects for the renewal of the authority appear | | | | and it's about rules -- that is what the trade round is |
| even more uncertain after the mid-term elections in | | | | all about. We don't have a bilateral fish and a |
| the US. The last time the president's fast-track | | | | multilateral fish." |
| authority expired, it took eight years (between 1994 | | | | But there is a proliferation of bilateral and regional |
| and 2002) for it to be renewed. | | | | agreements. |
| The developed nations seem to lack an urgency to | | | | Bilateral agreements, according to Doris Leuthard, the |
| get the negotiations on track. There is more talk of | | | | Swiss Federal Councillor of Economic Affairs, are |
| meetings and negotiations rather than actual | | | | second best options after the multilateral agreement. |
| negotiations. | | | | Second best or not, the WTO has been notified of |
| Kamal Nath, India's Minister of Commerce and | | | | more than 330 bilateral and regional trade |
| Industry, said he was not driven by the fast track | | | | agreements. Indeed, as of 2005, 17 free trade |
| but wanted a multilateral treaty as "we believe the | | | | agreements were in force with 60 more in the |
| rules-based multilateral system is as important to | | | | pipeline in China, India and Southeast Asia alone. |
| India as it is to the US and Europe". He added that | | | | With still no clear sign for a "landing" of the multilateral |
| the content of the agreement was as important as | | | | trade negotiations, countries are likely to seek out |
| its completion. | | | | more bilateral and regional trade partners for |
| India, together with Brazil and important developing | | | | agreements. And in many of these cases, the expiry |
| nation traders, are keen to see an agreement but | | | | of the US fast-track authority will not affect nor |
| not one that disadvantages their emerging | | | | dictate the pace of negotiations of these |
| economies. | | | | agreements. |