Trade ministers and representatives of the G-20 developing group of nations began discussions in New Delhi Friday to evolve a united position on agriculture to take to a crucial World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting later this year. The agenda for the two-day meeting centers round three key areas of the ongoing farm talks at the WTO, sources said. These include export competition, domestic support and market access. A draft declaration being discussed by the representatives seeks special treatment for developing nations in any global pact on farm trade. The draft also seeks an end to all trade distorting policies in agriculture and phasing out of export subsidies in five years. "We have to work to ensure that our positions are reflected in the modalities as we travel on the road to the Hong Kong Ministerial," India's trade minister Kamal Nath said in his opening remarks to the 125 delegates. The ministerial is scheduled for December. The G-20 countries participating in the New Delhi meeting are: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, China, Cuba, Egypt, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. Representatives of other groupings of developing countries like Least Developed Countries (LDCs)and CARICOM (Caribbean Communities) are also attending a G-20 meeting for the first time. Analysts say the varied positions of the countries of the G-20 group would not make arriving at a consensus easy. "But, consensus is possible if there is political will," said Celine Charveriat, chief advocacy officer of development agency Oxfam International. "The task before us in the negotiations in the WTO is complex," said Nath. "To fructify our aspirations for development... we have to confront with determination and resilience the challenges thrown in our way." He said the diverse interests of the G-20 nations gave it credibility and made it a powerful grouping in the WTO negotiations. The alliance was formed ahead of the Cancun WTO Ministerial in 2003. Brazil, China and India played a key role in its formation.
