MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Blair warns on fair deal for poor

Ministers from 149 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) gathered in Hong Kong Tuesday afternoon to open the Sixth Ministerial Conference in a new bid to push forward the stalled Doha Round trade talks.

The meeting, attended by 5,800 delegates from WTO's 149 members and 2,100 representatives from non-governmental organizations at the Convention and Exhibition Center, will focus on the topics of the Doha Round, which aims to reduce farm subsidies and tariffs, liberalize service trade and provide economic aids to developing countries.

Launched in the Qatari capital in 2001, the Doha Round bogged down in a deadlock over farm subsidies, which pitted mainly rich countries against poor ones.

Tony Blair has warned it will be a disaster if a deal is not reached on fair trade for the poorest nations.

But Trade Secretary Alan Johnson admitted over the weekend any agreement was unlikely to go far enough.

Mr Johnson and Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett are representing the UK at the World Trade Organisation negotiations.

Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon called on the European Union to cut farm subsidies to make them a success.

Wealthy countries had to concede more because poorer nations had not gained much in previous negotiations, Mr McKinnon said. "They were promised a lot from this round. so far, not a lot is coming," he said.

EU Trade Commissioner and ex-Cabinet minister Peter Mandelson said that a breakthrough in Hong Kong was "not possible".

Delegates should focus on making enough progress to agree on specific formulas for cutting farm tariffs and subsidies early next year, Mr Mandelson said.

The EU will not make a new offer on agricultural trade beyond the average 46% cut in farm tariffs proposed in October until others move over barriers on services and manufactured goods.

Mr Mandelson said he would be receptive to counter-offers on non-farm areas from developing nations, led by India and Brazil. "If they do so, and they help to move our agenda forward, I will work with them," he said.