India won’t give in to Western pressure at WTO: Sharma
25 May 2011
Commerce minister Anand Sharma today said that while India is committed to progress in World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks, it would not be browbeaten by developed countries into shifting the parameters of the talks.
The Doha round of talks must continue to build on the progress made, but attempts to re-open issues on which substantial progress has already been made would be counterproductive, Sharma said in a statement ahead of an informal meeting of ministers in Paris to discuss WTO positions.
The meeting of select trade ministers, which Sharma is scheduled to attend, is being held in Paris on Thursday on the sidelines of an Organisation for Economic Development (OECD) meet.
Opposing any rush to complete the Doha multilateral negotiating round, Sharma said that the developed countries are seeking to put more pressure on the developing nations for opening their markets.
''India views such an attempt to shift goal posts as unacceptable and as a violation of the mandate,'' he said.
The meeting, which has been convened by Australia, is likely to be attended by ministers from the European Union, the US, China and Japan.
