Previous Updates from Doha
By Anuradha Mittal
The Meaning of Doha: November 14, 2001
Something was launched at Doha, but to call it a "round" of
trade negotiations might be stretching the concept of a round. A
round means negotiations on a broad range of issues directed at trade
liberalization. What was agreed at Doha were: a) negotiations to
clarify or revise some existing agreements, e.g., anti-dumping rules;
and b) eventual negotiations for new agreements, e.g., transparency
in government procurement, investment, and competition policy.
(read more...)
November 11, 2001 Report
As the WTO continues to meet in Doha, Qatar, it faces a severe
crisis of legitimacy. Every newspaper present here and the Qatari
News Agency, the daily bulletin on the WTO Fourth Ministerial, has
carried articles on growing protests against the economic forces
of the WTO that are ignoring the concerns of the Third World
countries in the process.
(read more...)
November 10, 2001 Report
The US Trade Representative Office organized a briefing for the
US NGOs this morning. After yesterday's incident, where they
discovered much to their chagrin, that I, an Indian national,
was representing a U.S. NGO and housed at the same hotel, the
invitation to the briefing read: Please bring your NGO credential
and your U.S. passport for entry. I was ready for a conflict
if I was stopped given I am representing a U.S. group that represents
a larger constituency than the USTR's small corporate lobby.
(read more...)
November 9, 2001 Report
I arrived in Doha yesterday at 10 pm and was taken directly to the
Ritz Carlton hotel. The skeleton U.S. delegation had reduced
from over 200 in number to some 45-50 delegates, as the delgates
took the option of not attending given the security concerns.
The Congressional delegation and even the Secretary of Commerce
and Agriculture had opted out. This resulted in the USTR inviting
US NGOs and the press to stay at the fancy Ritz Carlton to fill
the rooms. (read more...)
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