December 13, 2005 | posted by Michael Baxter in Uncategorized |

Today’s the day that the Hong Kong trade talks finally kick off. And it’s difficult to think of anything more important. If the talks are successful, then global poverty will be reduced, and ultimately we will all be better off.

There’s good reason to hurry. The US fast track system of approving trade deals expires in 2007. So concluding a deal before then is vital. And yet…

Perhaps the demonstrations by farmers, largely from Korea, but also from Japan, India, the Philippines and Brazil say it all. While the EU is being blamed for the level of its agriculture and subsidies and tariffs, the demonstrating farmers fear that if markets are opened up - precisely the aim of the trade talks - they will lose their livelihoods. They displayed a coffin with the legend RIP WTO emblazoned on it.

Elsewhere a demonstration organised by Oxfam, led by Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal, had demonstrators dressed up as leaders of developed countries including George W and Tony Blair. They displayed a map of Asia and Africa and dumped corn, cotton and rice on it.

Turning to the talks, Brazilian foreign minister Celso Amorim said, “Unless the EU is able to improve substantially its offer on agricultural goods, there will not be a successful round.” But EU, commissioner Peter Mandelson wants to see a move from other countries before he budges any further. A 46% reduction on trade tariffs is on the table, but he now wants to see a corresponding move from developing countries. Mandy said,”Concentrating on agriculture, important as it is, to the exclusion of other areas, will defeat that ambition.”

But while the views being expressed are at polar extremes, there does seem to be a mood of optimism, or perhaps just wishful thinking.

Mr Amorim said the talks are, “doomed to success…Otherwise, the world would be doomed to failure and we can’t afford that. A failure is when you hope for too much and don’t get anything. Here we have to be realistic; this will not be the end of the road.”

Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said, “Cancun was an outburst of a lack of hope. Now countries are hoping.”