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Coercion could derail Doha meet, warns Maran

The government on Friday warned that forcing developing countries to accept new trade issues could derail the WTO ministerial meeting scheduled for November at Doha.

"Any coercion or compulsion which is against the interest of developing countries will go against ensuring the success of the next ministerial conference," Commerce and Industry Minister Murasoli Maran told reporters.

Developed countries thrusting their view-point on the developing countries would only widen differences.

"We should bridge the gap between the developed and developing countries Nothing should be done to widen the gap," he said.

"The present situation is so conducive that the world is getting united and we should not disturb the balance between the developed and developing countries. Nothing should be done to increase the development deficit. We should not be coerced," he said.

Maran said the opt-out clause proposed for trade in Investment and Competition was a matter of great concern. This proposal has been made under plurilateral agreements for those so called Singapore issues.

"Why should the opt-out condition be for these issues alone- why not for all the agreements," he said.

Asked if India remained opposed to the launch of a new round at Doha, Maran said, "it is no longer a question of a round. The issues and the contents are important, you can't bind me for future".

Maran said concerns of the developing countries including implementation issues should be addressed. "Opting for a two stage negotiation (mulitlateral and plurilateral) won't help the situation. We are equally interested in the success of the next ministerial".

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