Thursday, November 10 2005 19:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India and the G-20 developing countries today (Nov 10, 2005) asserted that the issue of Special Products and Special Safeguards Mechanism must be addressed for a successful outcome at Hong Kong Ministerial in December, close on the heels of key WTO players failing to break the impasse in trade talks.

Voicing his concern at the crucial meetings in Geneva and London, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said Special Products and Special Safeguard Mechanism were crucial instruments for protecting the interests of farmers in developing countries and no agricultural market access package could be accepted without such a provision.

Special Products denote products of interest to developing countries which would be subject to only minimal or zero tariff reductions and Special Safeguard Mechanism is meant as a safeguard against surge in subsidized imports.

The G-20 developing countries on agriculture asked all WTO members to work with realistic expectations for the Hong Kong Ministerial without lowering the level of ambition.

"We are at a crucial moment in the Doha Round. A month from the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, we face huge gaps in negotiating positions," he said.

"More disturbingly, signs of movement on the part of developed countries mainly responsible for trade distortions and protection have been scarce and insufficient," a G-20 statement issued last evening said.

Developed countries' proposals so far had not incorporated adequately Special and Differential Treatment for developing countries, the G-20 said.

Additional movement in agriculture, in line with the Doha mandate and the July Framework, would find a response in terms of proportionate contributions in other areas of the negotiations.