Archive - 2006

April 18th

Portman departure seen as lessening priority of trade for administration

17 April, 2006
The departure by U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman to become director of the Office of Management and Budget and the nomination of Deputy USTR Susan Schwab as the next USTR signals that trade has become a diminishing priority for the Bush Administration, according to several sources.

Portman leaving USTR

17 April, 2006
President George W. Bush on Tuesday will announce U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman as his choice to become White House budget director, a senior administration official said.

Aid Groups Call on WTO to Cancel Meeting

17 April, 2006
Aid and campaign groups from around the world on Tuesday called on WTO chief Pascal Lamy to cancel a major trade meeting scheduled for the end of this month, saying many poor countries are being excluded from talks.

Lamy Considers Imitating Predecessor's 'Nuclear Option' To Spur Doha Talks

17 April, 2006
Shortly before Arthur Dunkel, the world's top trade official for more than a decade, died last June, soon-to-be World Trade Organization chief Pascal Lamy went to visit him. Mr. Lamy wanted to ask about the nuclear option of world-trade diplomacy, known as a 'Dunkel draft.'

April 13th

Doubts Grow About Ministerial Meeting In April on WTO Agriculture, NAMA Talks

12 April, 2006
An anticipated meeting of trade ministers in Geneva at the end of April aimed at pushing forward a deal for the Doha Round talks on agriculture and nonagricultural market access looks more doubtful as chances for securing a final agreement on 'modalities' in the two sectors fade, according to officials contacted by BNA April 11 and 12.

Agriculture Chair's 'Reference Papers' and U.S. Communications

12 April, 2006
Links to the 'reference papers' submitted by the Chair of the Agriculture negotiations, Ambassador Falconer, to the WTO membership on Wednesday 11 April.

April 12th

Governor Leery of WTO Agreement

11 April, 2006
Governor John Baldacci wants to carve Maine out of current international negotiations that would open up the service sector of the economy to international trade. The Governor says the federal government has been deaf to sovereignty concerns raised by the states, and as Jeanne Baron reports, he's pushing to leave Maine out of the deal.

April 11th

President Bush Meets Portman to Discuss WTO Trade Talks Ahead of April 30 Deadline

10 April, 2006
President Bush met with U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman April 10 to discuss the World Trade Organization negotiations just three weeks ahead of a key deadline in the talks, saying that he had done so 'because I'm a big believer that trade helps lift people out of poverty.'

EU ready to give more ground in trade talks

10 April, 2006
EU trade chief Peter Mandelson said Tuesday the European Union was ready to give more ground in world trade talks but it needed to see similar concessions from other trade partners.

Volcker casts shadow on wheat import

10 April, 2006
Government