The United States will have to open its market to more foreign temporary workers as part of any new world trade deal, despite strong opposition in the US Congress, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said on Wednesday.
The United States and the European Union sparred on Wednesday over farm subsidies, food aid and measures to help the world's poorest countries, souring world trade talks that were already in trouble.
Trade ministers began the difficult task of getting consensus on a new pact to boost global commerce as emerging giant China called on the developed world to give the poorest nations a fair break.
Benin's ambassador to the WTO Samuel Amehou and representatives of West African cotton producers today (Dec. 14) warned that their countries will refuse to support any agreement struck in Hong Kong if developed countries do not agree to cut their cotton subsidies.
World trade ministers launched a fresh bid to salvage free trade negotiations amid little hope for major headway, as thousands of protesters marched in the streets to denounce the WTO as an enemy of the poor.
With the World Trade Organization meeting under way, the United States is trying to convince West African governments to pressure the European Union into making a bigger offer to cut agricultural tariffs and subsidies.
Martin Khor and Hira Jhamtani, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
The Group of 20 developing countries held a Ministerial meeting Tuesday morning and issued a G20 Ministerial Declaration reaffirming its position that agriculture is the central issue of the Doha Round .
People from all over the world united by one common purpose, gathered on the football pitches of Victoria Park in Hong Kong to herald the opening of the Peoples Action Week (PAW) in protest of the official opening of the 6th WTO Ministerial.
