Focus: On the Road to Hong Kong (Number 7, 15 December 2005)
Day three saw more substantive discussions take place than yesterday on the issues of NAMA, services and agriculture. In services, five countries sent a letter to the Chair, saying there is no consensus on Annex C. In agriculture, countries have held firm to their Geneva positions though there looks set to be further negotiations on a range of issues including export subsidies and sensitive products, whilst other critical issues such as the Green Box have been ignored. In NAMA, there is also little agreement, even with the potential for 'backsliding'. At this stage all issues are hanging in the balance and it appears that the Ministerial could go either way. A new Ministerial draft text is expected tomorrow. Read the Negotiation Update for an overall assessment by Aileen Kwa. There are also more in depth reports on NAMA from Joseph Purugannan and Agriculture from Afsar Jafri.
Tomorrow's event/action of the day: Street Painting protest - No to Aid for Unfair Trade
4.30 pm tomorrow - East Point Rd Corner, Great George St, Causeway Bay, Exit E Causeway
NEGOTIATION UPDATE
This evening marks the midway point of the Hong Kong Ministerial. There is as yet no clarity where the balance will tip in all the main areas of negotiations. Read more
http://www.focusweb.org/content/view/758/55/
FOCUS ON NAMA - POSITIONS REMAIN ENTRENCHED
The talks on Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) while seeming to move towards greater specificity, also remain bogged down by huge divergences. Meanwhile hundreds of fisherfolk protested in the streets of Hong Kong. A small delegation of protesters was received by the Philippine negotiators who vowed to deliver the petition directly to Mr Lamy. Read report/see pictures http://www.focusweb.org/content/view/756/55/
AGRICULTURE - DISCUSSIONS BEGIN
In the Green Room last night on Agriculture some elements were identified for negotiations. Read more http://www.focusweb.org/content/view/759/55/
PETITION HANDED TO INDIAN COMMERCE MINISTER KAMAL NATH
Representatives of Indian civil society today handed Mr Nath a letter signed by over 90 Indian organisations demanding that he reject Annex C of the controversial GATS Agreement. As Minister in a minority government, Mr Nath's mandate to negotiate on an agreement that will have irreversible consequences for the people of India was questioned. Read the letter/see pictures of the handover: http://www.focusweb.org/content/view/757/55/
SERVICES
A useful lobbying document points out the pitfalls for development should sectoral /plurilateral negotiations take place post HK. Read more http://www.focusweb.org/content/view/762/36/
TEN REASONS WHY NO DEAL IS BETTER THAN A BAD DEAL
At the 6th WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong, no deal is better than a bad deal since the only possible deal that can come out of ongoing negotiations is one that would further consolidate the underdevelopment and marginalisation of the South. Here are ten reasons why: http://www.focusweb.org/content/view/760/36/
DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE: CONFIRMED TOTALLY EMPTY!
The EU Trade Commissioner Mandelson was presented with empty Christmas presents, signifying the hollow development package.
http://www.focusweb.org/content/view/761/36/
EXTRAORDINARY PICTURES OF RESISTANCE FROM INDY MEDIA