JAITLEY URGES GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN AGRICULTURAL TARIFFS TO PROTECT INDIAN FARMERS

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Mr. Arun Jaitley, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Law & Justice, has said that India wants a far greater flexibility as far as agricultural tariffs are concerned in the WTO negotiations on agriculture in order to protect the interests of the Indian farmers. Speaking to the media at the end of the Informal Meeting of WTO Ministers held in Tokyo from 14-16 February 2003, Mr. Jaitley said that participation in this meeting had been very vital for India as several market access issues were taken up and "the foremost which concerns us immediately is agriculture. Whereas we are somewhat satisfied that issues of reduction of domestic support and export subsidies in the developed countries are a part of the agricultural agenda (in the draft modalities for negotiations on agriculture circulated earlier), "we are still deeply concerned about market access in developing countries, particularly in India, where a large part of the rural population dependent on agriculture could be adversely hit if market access is given. We, therefore, want a far greater flexibility as far as agricultural tariffs are concerned". Mr. Jaitley said another vital issue of concern to India related to the developmental issues - i.e. besides Implementation issues and Special & Differential Treatment, the whole question of TRIPS and Public Health. "It is extremely important for countries which do not have manufacturing facility as far as pharmaceuticals are concerned, and we have represented the viewpoint of those countries effectively at this meeting", he said. Responding to questions about a reported proposal made by Brazil to break the deadlock on TRIPs and Public Health, Shri Jaitley explained that the proposal was made in passing in the Brazilian Minister's speech and said "we have not examined the proposal in depth. Once we receive it, we will give our reaction to it". He also said, "we stand by our position that there should be no dilution of the spirit of Doha and we have given our consent only to the 16th of December text of the Chairman of the TRIPS Council".