Toughing it out as Cairns progress stutters

By RICHARD BRADDELL

WELLINGTON - Cairns Group agriculture representatives are talking tough at the World Trade Organisation meeting in Seattle, but getting an agreement on eliminating farm subsidies may prove an arduous task.

Trade Minister Lockwood Smith was in talks with key agricultural negotiators last night. But while a spokesman for Dr Smith said the negotiations were proving no more difficult than might be expected at this stage, a text being worked still contained lots of conflicting positions.

Federated Farmers president Alistair Polson, also in Seattle, said that Cairns Group representatives had warned that if the meeting did not produce a progressive and meaningful reform agenda, they would recommend their ministers walk away.

Evidence was slight yesterday that the gulf was narrowing between the United States and Cairns Group countries - which collectively are championing free trade - and the European Community, which is seeking to retain taxpayer support for its farmers.

The US Agriculture Secretary, Dan Glickman, said yesterday that everyone wanted to walk away from the negotiating table a winner, but concessions would have to be made.

Mr Polson said while the secretary insisted that any deal must consist of eliminating export subsidies and trade distorting tariffs, there had been a some sense the US was now talking about eliminating export subsidies over an extended period.

"That's wishy washy. It's very much in the balance."

Cairns Group representatives were concerned that the Europeans would continue to push for "multifunct-ionality," an ill-defined concept covering ideas such as cultural and aesthetic values such as trimmed hedgerows, which it was claimed European taxpayers were prepared to support.

However, the chairman of the Dairy Board, Graham Fraser, was optimistic. "We have had discussions with the Europeans and they also have seen the need for reform of these trading rules."