MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New call from Lamy to re-launch Doha round talks

World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy called Wednesday on all parties to decisively re-launch the Doha round negotiations. He was speaking in the framework of the current twentieth anniversary celebrations of the GATT Uruguay round in Montevideo.

"As far as markets access is concerned, we were short of expectations and what we are hoping now is for new market access opportunities. In the Doha round we have the potential to reduce subsidies, which distort trade, to far lower levels", said Mr. Lamy.

In November 1986 the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs, GATT, meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay launched the Uruguay round trade negotiations.

"However on this occasion we have to agree what is on the table and if Doha concludes successfully, this means the total elimination of all export subsidies" added Mr. Lamy.

Subsidies and protectionism from developed countries have been recurrent obstacles for expanding negotiation rounds in the framework of global trade multilateralism. Agriculture, textiles and services are an essential part of these negotiations, said WTO Director.

Lamy insisted that "much has yet to be done in the opening of the services sector and at this moment WTO members have agreed that if negotiations conclude with success, market access and reliable anticipation will be significantly increased".

In the framework of the Uruguay Round twentieth celebration Lamy together with authorities from Argentina, Brazil, Canada and Uruguay launched Wednesday a "Montevideo summons" warning that a "negotiations failure could lead to a gradual deterioration of the multilateral trade system which with so much effort has been built".

"The survival of the Doha Round remains vital for the existence of the WTO", added Uruguay's Foreign Affairs minister Reinaldo Gargano.