WORLD TRADE TALKS TO BE REVIVED.

India is set to host a meeting of the world’s trade ministers which aims to revive the stalled Doha round of trade negotiations, officials said Wednesday. Trade ministers from over 35 countries were gathering in the national capital New Delhi for the two-day informal talks beginning Thursday, the Indian commerce ministry said.
The Doha Development Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was launched in 2001 but has been stalled by disagreements between established economies and the developing world, largely over subsidies and market access.
This will be the first time since the talks collapsed in July 2008 that ministers gather to make a renewed effort to conclude the Doha trade agreement.
Trade officials from various countries began deliberations Wednesday to prepare the ground for the talks.
“The primary purpose for the talks is to build a consensus among a large number of countries on moving forward with the Doha round,” he said. Khullar said the talks were an informal ministerial meeting, separate from ministerial meetings convened by the WTO. The talks are taking place before the full ministerial meeting of the WTO is expected in November.
US trade representative Ron Kirk, EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton, EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel and Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim were among those travelling to Delhi for the meeting.
India’s trade negotiator, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, has said that Delhi will continue to protect its vulnerable farm sector at the talks.
WTO chief Lamy also urged a rapid completion of the Doha talks next year as insurance against protectionism following the global economic crisis.