Pakistan´s reservations regarding doha round

ISLAMABAD, Aug 2: Pakistan has shown its reservation over partial resumption of negotiations on some issues saying talks should be resumed across the board on the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), it is learnt.

Pakistan's reaction came at a time, when some countries, including European Union (EU) has tabled a proposal to resume talks in certain undisputed areas of the Doha round to break the impasse in the multilateral trade negotiations.

According to the official statement submitted to the WTO General Council by Pakistan's Ambassador to WTO Dr Manzoor Ahmed, a copy of which was made available to this reporter, Islamabad has welcomed preservation of the progress already achieved as part of the Doha talks.

"We would not be able to support proposals on partial resumption of talks, which claim to promote development. If major economies are indeed keen on doing something for development, we would request them to unilaterally do what a majority of developing countries were asking them to do," Dr Manzoor informed the council.

This means that they could eliminate tariff peaks on items of export interest to developing countries, substantially reduce their agricultural trade distorting subsidies and provide predictability on rules such as anti-dumping.

"We would encourage the director general WTO to continue with his consultations and to make every effort for an early resumption of negotiations," the statement said.

In its response to the trade talks