Positive spin on conflict among officials

By Greg Ansley

Cairns Group chairman Mark Vaile yesterday reaffirmed his faith that Apec will deliver a strong free-trade message to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) despite signs of a deepening morass.

After the failure of senior officials to push much beyond a wish list at the end of their two days of negotiations yesterday, Mr Vaile, the Australian Trade Minister, said he believed progress remained possible in key areas for agriculture.

Describing the inability of the officials to resolve conflicting positions as "not unusual for these sorts of meetings," he said the issues passed on to the trade ministers ahead of the leaders' summit were not unresolvable.

"I think it revolves around differences of opinion in terms of the rate of reform and the focus of reform," said Mr Vaile.

He accepted that the ministers would have to sideline the most difficult issues if they were to maintain any momentum towards the Bogor goals of free trade between developed economies by 2010 and developing countries by 2020.

"There are a couple of issues we've been trying to negotiate our way through between different economies at the officials' meeting today," Mr Vaile said.

But he said that Apec should maintain focus on positive outcomes rather than negatives at the margins, particularly as the WTO round neared.

"Australia sees it as critically important that we get a strong message out of this Apec meeting supporting the launch of a new round," Mr Vaile said.

The Cairns Group wants further reform through the abolition of export subsidies, domestic support programmes and greater market access, with the inclusion of agriculture in a general negotiating round.

"We don't see it as acceptable that agriculture should be treated differently from trade in manufactured goods and other goods and services.

"We're seeking a strong package [from Apec] embracing market access in agriculture, services and industrial products."

Mr Vaile said that despite problems over the past two days such a package remained possible.

"I think you'll find that there'll be a positive and strong message coming out of the ministers' group."