George Mitchell, a former Democratic Senate Majority Leader sees Doha as essential now, failure not an option
Former US Senator George Mitchell, an influential Democrat,has an opinion piece in The Times on the need for urgent completion of the Doha Round.
Amongst other things he writes:-
The worldwide escalation in food prices in recent months has badly hit developing countries that are net food buyers or rely on imports. Completion of the Doha Round would help to mitigate the impact of high prices by tackling systemic distortions in the international market for food, in particular by lowering barriers to trade in agricultural products and by reducing subsidies in many developed countries.
If agreement is not reached in the coming weeks, the talks may collapse with little prospect of revival. In January there will be a new Administration in Washington and a new EU Trade Commissioner in Brussels. This could lead to a further period of review when the need to conclude this round is becoming more critical by the day.
There is a danger that, if this round fails, the future of the multilateral trade system itself will be at risk. Countries could revert to more restrictive policies, shutting out others to the detriment of the global economy. The multilateral trading system embodied in the WTO has contributed significantly to economic growth and employment throughout the past 50 years and must continue to do so.
Mitchell, a former Democratic Senator and Senate Majority Leader, states clearly:-
I know first hand how difficult it can be to reach agreement between so many parties and such diverse interests. In light of the global economic slowdown, however, it is essential that we maintain policies that encourage free and fair trade, thus promoting recovery, growth and economic development.
Agreement is a prize worth fighting for – ministers cannot afford to fail.
Hopefully, Obama reads The Times, or someone in his campaign does. Likewise President Sarkozy and George Bush, along with the heads of government in India and Brazil.
