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US races against clock after WTO talks collapse: US trade chief
AFP
RIO DE JANEIRO
Petroleumworld.com 07 29 06
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, in Rio de Janeiro to discuss with Brazil the collapse of World Trade Organization talks, appeared skeptical Friday that international negotiations could resume in the next few months.
The United States is in a "race against the clock" because the White House's congressional mandate to negotiate expires July 1, 2007, Schwab told reporters on the eve of a meeting Saturday with Foreign Minister Celso Amorim.
Any trade agreement must be submitted to the US Congress 90 days before the expiration of the trade promotion authority, she noted.
Once the authority expires, the US Congress will regain the right to amend trade agreements, leaving any Doha agreement hostage to US vested interests.
"If we do not have a Doha agreement in place by the end of 2006 it is virtually impossible for us to use the trade promotion authority," she said, referring to the Doha Round of trade talks that collapsed this week.
"We have already run out of time," Schwab warned.
She said she planned to discuss an extension of the trade promotion authority with US Senator Charles Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
It would take at least "several months" before WTO chief Pascal Lamy could call a new ministerial meeting, she said.
"There is absolutely no reason to bring back the countries together until there is some basis for an agreement," the US trade representative said.
"If we do not get a breakthrough by March (or) April, it is hard to imagine we can get a breakthrough in any less that a year or two," she said.
Schwab said she would discuss with Amorim, whose country is a powerful player among developing countries, "what was the cause of the breakdown" of WTO talks and "how far apart each positions are."
"Neither Mr. Amorim nor I can solve the Doha Round," she said. But "between the two of us we have the capacity to consider the potential points of convergence."
Amorim has joined the European Union, India and others in pinning the most blame on the United States for Monday's collapse of the Doha talks.
Schwab said the US government was "prepared to show flexibility in cuts" in farm subsidies, but "only if we see more market acces on the table."
The US official said she would continue contacting her peers from key countries to try to revive the Doha Round.
"It may be that we won't be able to find convergence but if that is the case it will not be because we didn't try," Schwab said.
The Doha Round is on life support after a meeting of six key players including the United States and the European Union collapsed in acrimony Monday, largely because of disputes over farm payments.
US President George W. Bush said Thursday the United States remained committed to a balanced WTO pact that opens up foreign markets in return for cuts to US farm subsidies.
AFP 29 0324 GMT 07 06
Copyright ©2006 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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