MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Poor countries can't wait for agricultural trade reform”

“Poor countries cannot wait for another twenty years to see true reform in agricultural trade”, argued Brazil Wednesday at the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in Hong Kong

In his speech Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim underlined that the world's trade system has outstanding debts with the developing world, and the launching of the Doha Round four years ago, "signalled international recognition of such a situation".

"Rich countries cannot expect to receive payment for doing what they should have done a long time ago" he insisted in direct reference to European Union and United States demands for poorer countries to open their markets to service industries, concessions on copyright and other issues.

Celso Amorim accused rich countries of trying to downplay the distortion in farm produce trade, "even in the (Doha) round", which led the poor countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, with most of the world's rural population, to join the Group of 20, G-20 in an effort to end "such distortions".

"Something which they should have done many years ago, or should I say centuries?", these are "vestiges of feudalism and other forms of unacceptable privilege".

"The time to act is now" he highlighted adding that "all types of subsidies that distort trade should be eliminated or drastically reduced".

The Brazilian delegate insisted that leading, powerful economies cannot expect more concessions from developing countries than they are prepared to grant.

"We cannot let the Doha Round fail because of inaction or lack of vision" he stressed, pointing out that HK talks had aroused hope "in all developing countries, large and small. Don't let us waste this opportunity".