Doha Round Negotiations Suspended

COMMENTS FROM USA Rice Federation, National Cotton Council, AFBF:

From National Cotton Council press release this afternoon:

The Geneva meeting of G-6 ministers concluded without a breakthrough and future Doha Round negotiations have been suspended. Allen Helms, Chairman of the National Cotton Council, praised the U.S. negotiating team and its commitment to an ambitious result in the Doha Round.

“I commend U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, and the entire U.S. negotiating team for continuing to demand an ambitious result in the Doha negotiations and refusing to allow unwarranted pressure or deadlines to undermine the U.S. position. Ambassador Schwab and Secretary Johanns have demonstrated they clearly understand that the significant U.S. offer on market access, domestic agricultural support and export subsidies has not been matched. It may take longer than anticipated to bring the Doha Round to a successful conclusion, but the determination of the U.S. negotiating team is a positive sign for U.S. agriculture and for the world’s agricultural producers.”

Commending Congressional leaders, particularly Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Saxby Chambliss, American Cotton Producers’ Chairman Jay Hardwick stated, “Congressional leaders have clearly stated that their support for the ambitious US proposal made in October 2005 would be realized only if our trading partners match the ambition of the United States. Chairman Chambliss has continually stressed a single undertaking in agricultural negotiations that achieves U.S. ambitions in both market access and domestic support. The resolve of U.S. leaders is to be commended.”

Statement from USA Rice Federation On Suspension Of WTO Trade Negotiations

ARLINGTON, VA — The USA Rice Federation today expressed its full support of U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns in the face of the suspension of multilateral trade negotiations in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Round.

“Amb. Schwab and Secretary Johanns are to be commended for standing with the U.S. rice industry by insisting that a Doha agreement provide U.S. farmers and exporters with real and measurable market access gains in order to justify cuts in U.S. farm programs.

“Despite press releases and rhetoric, it is clear that the market access offers by the European Union and several other WTO players are illusions and will not result in a real expansion in trade. They simply don’t stand up to the aggressive U.S. proposal tabled in October 2005, and the administration was right to stand firm.

“Our trade negotiators will now shift to intensive bilateral discussions with other WTO members to determine where a convergence of interests may exist. USA Rice remains committed to achieving a multilateral trade agreement that is fair, results in meaningful increases in trade, and addresses key bottlenecks to exports of U.S. rice. We will continue to support the administration in this effort.

“Today’s suspension of the negotiations also calls into question the ability of the administration to negotiate, and Congress to approve, a multilateral trade agreement before the expiration of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) in mid 2007. As U.S. negotiators strive to obtain a solid agreement for the U.S. rice industry, it is critical that the president be given the tools he needs to negotiate the best agreement possible. This means that TPA must be renewed.

“The USA Rice Federation commends the Bush administration for standing up to calls for unilateral U.S. concessions and for defending the interests of U.S. rice producers and exporters. We appreciate that our negotiators remain ambitious and know when to walk away from a bad deal.”

From American Farm Bureau Federation:

World Trade Organization Director Pascal Lamy suspended the Doha Round of global trade negotiations today after officials from six key governments remained deadlocked. Lamy suspended the five-year-old talks after trade negotiators from the United States, EU, Brazil, India, Australia and Japan were unable to overcome their differences. AFBF President Bob Stallman called the suspension a regretful outcome.

"At a time when the goods produced by America's farmers and ranchers continue to be barred from markets across the world by stifling tariffs and other trade barriers, the American Farm Bureau regrets that the opportunity for fairer trading rules has been set aside," Stallman said. "We will continue to push for enhanced market access for our farm goods, whether through regional or multilateral initiatives. When the opportunity presents itself, we will again support efforts to reform trade rules through the WTO process.

"It is truly unfortunate that other nations of the world failed to seize this Doha Round opportunity for freer trade created by the bold agricultural proposal offered by U.S. negotiators. United States Trade Representative Susan Schwab and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns stood behind that solid proposal and pushed hard for an agreement to create real increases in global trade that would have benefited all nations."

Stallman said that Farmers and consumers all around the world had "a lot to gain" from the Doha Round of WTO trade negotiations. He said AFBF stands behind its belief "that freer and fairer agricultural trading rules would benefit all people of the world." Since the talks have been suspended, Stallman said AFBF "will prepare to move forward with proposals to ensure that U.S. farmers have the kind of support they need to survive in today's global trading environment."