The Doha Round of trade liberalization negotiations was suspended July 24 with no indication as to when or whether they might be resumed.
Expressing her profound sense of disappointment,?US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said that while there have been major setbacks, the US government is still committed to a successful round. respite the serious setbacks that we have experienced in recent weeks ?and during the past 36 hours ?I want to make absolutely clear that the United States remains determined to work with the other members to see the completion of an ambitious Doha Round,?Schwab said. When asked about a timetable for a possible resumption of the talks, she said there was none and the matter would be up to World Trade Organization officials.
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns added that the suspension is not the end of the Doha Round and reiterated the US commitment to successful negotiations. Looking at the collapse of the talks, he said there was no proposal on the table he could take back to President George W. Bush or US Congress.
Importers of textiles and apparel were bitterly disappointed by the collapse of the talks, but Kevin Burke, president and CEO of the Arlington, Va.-based American Apparel & Footwear Association, expressed hope the talks could eventually be restarted. He said he hopes this will be only a pause,and that the Doha Round can lead to an ambitious and comprehensive agreement?that will provide gains in market access for all US businesses.
Auggie Tantillo, executive director of the Washington-based American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, was not the least bit disappointed by the suspension. He said the non-agriculture market access talks were deaded in the wrong direction,?as the developing countries were asking for 搖nfettered access to the US market without granting full reciprocity in return.?He added that until those countries move toward more equitable positions on tariff reductions and sectoral talks, it doesn't make sense to negotiate?because he believes further negotiations would be about one-sided concessions made by the United States.
Expressing her profound sense of disappointment,?US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said that while there have been major setbacks, the US government is still committed to a successful round. respite the serious setbacks that we have experienced in recent weeks ?and during the past 36 hours ?I want to make absolutely clear that the United States remains determined to work with the other members to see the completion of an ambitious Doha Round,?Schwab said. When asked about a timetable for a possible resumption of the talks, she said there was none and the matter would be up to World Trade Organization officials.
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns added that the suspension is not the end of the Doha Round and reiterated the US commitment to successful negotiations. Looking at the collapse of the talks, he said there was no proposal on the table he could take back to President George W. Bush or US Congress.
Importers of textiles and apparel were bitterly disappointed by the collapse of the talks, but Kevin Burke, president and CEO of the Arlington, Va.-based American Apparel & Footwear Association, expressed hope the talks could eventually be restarted. He said he hopes this will be only a pause,and that the Doha Round can lead to an ambitious and comprehensive agreement?that will provide gains in market access for all US businesses.
Auggie Tantillo, executive director of the Washington-based American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, was not the least bit disappointed by the suspension. He said the non-agriculture market access talks were deaded in the wrong direction,?as the developing countries were asking for 搖nfettered access to the US market without granting full reciprocity in return.?He added that until those countries move toward more equitable positions on tariff reductions and sectoral talks, it doesn't make sense to negotiate?because he believes further negotiations would be about one-sided concessions made by the United States.
