04/25/07 Where Are We On World Trade?

Where are we on World Trade? I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. We sometimes think out of sight, out of mind. So it is with the Doha Round of the World Trade Organizations talks. There has been a lot of talk about whether or no the WTO can come to a successful conclusion and there have also been finger pointed at the U.S. as the culprit. As one of the biggest players in the trade game, it is important for agriculture that the U.S. remains tough on the issues. Recently the WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy spoke to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and he urged the U.S. to demonstrate its leadership. LAMY: I am confident that the United States will put all its energy and commitment into concluding the Doha Round. US leadership is always required to sustain the WTO but the exercise of this leadership by the Administration and Congress in the weeks and months ahead will be key to the fate of the Round. At this critical juncture in the negotiations, the WTO urgently needs their full support. Even though all eyes are on the U.S. and the EU, Lamy says neither should take the lead. LAMY: We know that the Doha Development Round will not be concluded until and unless all these participants are ready to walk the extra mile and table additional contributions to the collective success of this multilateral enterprise. It is clear that the contributions will be linked to the degree of development and wealth of each participant, with the world poorest countries making the smallest contribution. It is also clear that no one will be asked to move first: countries will have to move in concert, like a big orchestra playing to the same tune. He urges getting back to basics for the good of everyone. LAMY: As we mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the multilateral trading system, it is time to go back to the basics of trade negotiations, a win-win game where the sum of the collective gains is certainly much larger than the contribution each participant makes. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.