New Delhi, September 04: Key differences still remain between rich economies like the US and advanced developing nations like India, China and Brazil, said World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Pascal Lamy here Friday.
“The US is ready to even clinch a final deal, but that may not exactly be the Indian view or a Chinese view or the Brazilian view,” Lamy said at an interactive session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here, after the conclusion of the two-day mini-ministerial meeting among representatives of some 40 key WTO members.
“But there remains tough nuts to crack during these negotiations,” Lamy said, hinting at the possibility of a tough stand that the advanced developing countries may adopt.
“What happened today is a reality check. We shouldn’t underestimate that. They (representatives at the ministerial conference) have the political will to conclude the Doha Round and were unanimous and that is extremely clear. There is a big political boost,” he said.
“One of the difficulties in concluding the Doha Rounds of talks is that there have been three times more topics than what we had in the previous round and five times more active members now.”
He said the difference on agricultural tariffs will remain between developed and developing countries, and added: “But there is ample scope of improving non-tariff barriers.”
—IANS