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New
Delhi: The cabinet committee on WTO, which met under the chairmanship
of prime minister Manmohan Singh, has directed the commerce ministry to make
improved offers in sectors where initial offers have already been made in
2003. "What
we ultimately offer will depend on what is offered to us," commerce minister
Kamal Nath said, adding that his ministry had been given the flexibility to
move forward in services negotiations. "While
making the revised offer, New Delhi will also be guided by the range and depth
of the improved offers that would be made by the developed countries in modes
and sectors of interest to India," he said. The
sectors in which initial offers were made included business services, construction
and related engineering services, health related and social services, tourism
and travel related, maritime and transport services. The
opening up of retail, legal and accountancy services will be solely
driven by national interests even though there is a mounting pressure on India
from the US and other developed countries on the issue.
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