In the Green Room last night on Agriculture some elements were identified for negotiations: date for elimination of export subsidies, the number of bands in domestic support, identifying number of bands in market access, sensitive products and some language on the Special Products and Special Safeguard mechanism. In the Green Room, it was decided that a revised Ministerial text might be on the table by tomorrow as the Ministerial is quickly drawing to a close.
Today, India, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and Zimbabwe representing the G20 addressed the press and India’s Minister Kamal Nath said that G20, G33, G90 collectively represent 4/5 of humanity and that they are going to stand up for the rights of their constituencies. Before the G20 press conference, Mr. Mandelson of the European Union also addressed the press and he completely ruled out any question of an end date on the elimination of export subsidies.
On the development issues, the LDCs and US is at loggerheads to each other especially on the ‘duty free quota free issue’ and US is not ready to have any binding commitment on the same. US is also firm on proving duty free and quota free concession in only 95% of tariff line and 96% of the products and on all products, but it is also expected US will use SSM and NTBs to restrict imports from LDCs if its hurts their domestic market.
