Friday, December 16 2005 20:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hong Kong: As trade negotiations intensify and rich nations show little signs of flexibility, about 110 least developed and developing countries today (Dec 16, 2005) formed a grand coalition at the WTO Ministerial to thwart any attempt by the developed world to spread further inequities in global trade.

Asserting that agriculture was central to development, the G-20, G-33, and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Countries representing over 110 countries out of the total 149 WTO members joined hands for better coordination of positions.

"The EU and US are saying please pay us (market access on industrial goods and agriculture) for what we should not be doing (giving subsidies)," Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said at a press briefing.

Brazilian Foreign Minister and G-20 coordinator Celso Amroim said if developed countries did not want to give anything to developing countries, there was no need to call it a development package.

The Groups in a declaration said current negotiations must result in removal of distortions that inhibit export growth of developing and least developed countries, besides giving them adequate policy space to protect livelihood concerns and ensure sustainable socio-economic development.

They also called upon developed countries to agree to complete elimination of export subsidy measures by 2010 while addressing the needs of Least Developed Countries.

Nath said this initiative will help developing countries and LDCs in furthering their interests at WTO.