New Delhi: US trade representative Ron Kirk says the United States has started bilateral talks with India and Brazil to resolve contentious issues at the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations in Geneva. In an interview with Mint, Kirk advocates a combination of bilateral and multilateral negotiations to resolve thorny issues for a successful conclusion of the WTO’s Doha development round. WTO member countries, at a mini ministerial meeting in New Delhi in September, resolved to conclude negotiations by the end of 2010.
Resolving issues: Ron Kirk. Ramesh Pathania / Mint
In India on his second visit in two months, this time to discuss substantive bilateral trade issues under the Indo-US Trade Policy Forum, Kirk rejects the allegation that the US is not serious in its approach towards the Doha round. His trip precedes an official visit to the US next month by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the invitation of President Barack Obama. Edited excerpts:
What are the key bilateral issues that you will be addressing through the Indo-US Trade Policy Forum?
First of all let me say how pleased I am to be back. Quickly after being here last month for the mini Doha ministerial that we had, and I want to again extend my congratulations and gratitude to the Prime Minister and my counterpart, commerce minister Anand Sharma, for a very productive, very thoughtful session. But I am specially pleased to be back because now we have the chance to focus on bilateral issues. And the trade policy forum will allow and India regarding what us to hear from business communities both in (the) US is really happening versus what we think is happening. I think that will be critical. But we do believe that building on the progress that we have been making on the bilateral investment treaty is the most important and critical step that we can take. Trade between (the) United States and India tripled over the last decade, but on the other hand our trade with India is less than 10% of what it is with China. And with India representing the fastest growing middle-class economy, we think the good news is there is explosive potential both ways. So we want to look at those high-level issues that we can remove on either side that will help facilitate the growth of trade.
What is the status of the proposed investment treaty with India?
The good news is that we had a very productive meeting here last month...We have made very good progress and now (the) next meeting will come up in early 2010 (and) we hope to build on that and get to a point where we can get this bilateral treaty in place.
Since the Delhi mini ministerial meeting of the WTO in September, what is the progress that has been made on the Doha talks?
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