GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Robert Zoellick, head of the World Bank, blamed US President Barack Obama for what he called the failure of the US to take a leadership role in seeing that the Doha Round of trade negotiations succeeds.
Zoellick, in a prepared speech Monday 18 July, said “I won’t sugarcoat it. Negotiators from key countries – developed and developing – let themselves fold into defensive crouches. Tactical ploys overwhelmed strategic vision and leadership,” the World Bank’s notes on his speech say. “‘Some want to Declare Doha Dead. Instead, I urge the WTO members to get bolder: Double-Down on Doha. And do so by Thinking Ahead, and Thinking Big.’”
Zoellick was formerly a trade negotiator under President George W Bush, who helped launch the Doha Round in 2001. His strong remarks on the US leadership failure were picked up by international media but were heavily covered by US media, with varying slants: Chicago Tribune/Qatar Living (Reuters), Fox, Guardian, Voice of America, Washington Post
World Trade Organization, home to the Doha Round talks (photo, Jared Bloch)
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – A long-awaited decision about US subsidies for Boeing is expected at the WTO (World Trade Organization) in Geneva Thursday 31 March.
Depending on who you ask, it will either go badly against the company and the US, which in June 2010 was accused at the WTO of providing up to $20 million in illegal funds to the aircraft maker, or it will be a vindication of the US point of view that Airbus has received even more in government subsidies, reports UPI news agency.
It’s been a rough week at the Doha Round trade talks, with US Ambassador Michael Punke issuing a gloomy statement last Thursday that “in light of this week’s consultations, we share with other members a significant concern that the Doha negotiations have not made the progress we had all hoped they would achieve by now.” He mentioned that “the gaps among members remain wide.”
His optimistic final note was barely enough to cover the gloom: “The United States is fully committed to working hard in coming weeks to find productive ways forward.”
Punke addressed other members at the WTO in equally gloomy tones 29 March, indicating few signs of progress and pointing to continuing major “gaps” in stances for the negotiations.
Federal Council will consult on plan for how big banks can fail, negotiate withholding tax on foreigners’ accounts
Measles, tougher penal sentences, electricity suppliers, corporate tax rates all on the 2011 schedule
Swiss Federal Council (cabinet): government publishes its 2011 agenda
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Swiss Government, fresh from the defeat of its counter-initiative in the vote on foreign convicts 28 November, has set out an ambitious agenda for work it expects to complete in 2011. This will be the final session before a new parliament is elected 23 October 2011.
Two pieces of legislation, one calling for a tougher penal code and the other for greater efforts to integrate foreigners into Swiss society, were planned before the weekend vote, but they must now be coordinated with a constitutional change, the results of the 28 November popular initiative, where Swiss voters chose automatic expulsion of foreign convicts.
Negotiations over undeclared assets in Swiss banks confirmed
The council confirmed Tuesday that negotiations are already underway with some countries, and it intends to open negotiations with other key countries, to “regularize” undeclared assets coming to Swiss banks from outside Switzerland. The main tool Switzerland intends to use is a withholding tax but the government says the negotiations will also include a commitment by the Swiss to “ensure, as far as possible, that undeclared assets from [countries with negotiations] will not in future come to Switzerland”.
Bankruptcy proceedings for key banks would limit pay, free trade agreements get priority
The cabinet will consult with interested parties on the details of how banks that are critical to the national financial system would be allowed to move into bankruptcy if they fail. A particular aspect of this is the decision by the government to limit payment to bankers for any financial institution that comes under the government’s care. Wide consultation on drafts for new laws with major impact is standard procedure in Switzerland and proposed legislation is then revised based on feedback before it goes to parliament.
Trade talks to be accelerated
Michael Punke, US ambassador to the WTO, 2010
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - “We’re not negotiating with a gun to anyone’s head – that’s not the way the WTO works,” says Michael Punke, the new US ambassador to the World Trade Organization. “What we’re hoping is they will step up and take up their leadership role,” he says, referring to India, China and Brazil. “At the end of day: we have to ask, are the advanced developing economies ready to accept the responsibility and leadership” that goes with their new roles?
The ambassador lost no time Monday morning, during a media breakfast for the new man in Geneva, making it clear that he is keen to start negotiating and to see the Doha Round of trade talks get back on track.
Punke insists there is strong support in the US “to negotiate a Doha outcome that is balanced and ambitious.”
Balanced, in the sense of advanced developing economies taking stronger roles.
Ambitious, in the sense of the Doha Round succeeding without the “arbitrary deadlines or big bang events [that] haven’t worked” in the past, the kind of events where top-level ministers show up and work intensely and everyone hopes the outcome will be a great leap forward.
He believes Geneva has focused too much on these. He is adament that “there aren’t any shortcuts but sitting down, day in and day out” to get through the issues that remain. “The only way to improve that balance is to engage in negotiation.” The US, he says “wants to focus on key sectors in priority markets – the advanced developing economies.”
Expect tight security around the WTO buildings, but mainly at the CICG where the conference takes place
Several thousand in Geneva for WTO meeting, demonstration
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The barriers were being readied in front of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Thursday 26 November along the lake road in Geneva, and security measures around the area began to move into place for the start of the Seventh Ministerial Conference Monday 30 November, with several thousand people expected to take part.
Hotels have little space, but for local residents the main sign of the global talks will be disrupted traffic.
Detours and road closings begin Saturday 28 November, when 3,000-5,000 demonstrators are expected to take part in an anti-WTO march that starts at 14:30 at the Place Neuve.
Anti-WTO march Saturday after in centre of Geneva
The Vengeron exit (where the road split before the airport) on the A1 autoroute into Geneva, coming from Lausanne, will be closed early Saturday 28 November until the end of the march late afternoon. Traffic will be directed to the airport exit.
The march itinerary supplied by Geneva police:
A tall order for WTO negotiators
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Doha Round talks resumed on the technical level in earnest at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva 14 September after a commitment to conclude the Round by 2010 from ministers from 35 countries meeting in New Delhi, India 3 and 4 September. The Doha Round of trade talks collapsed in July 2008 after trade ministers failed to agree on issues tied to agriculture and industrial import rules.
The blame for the collapse was widely laid on differences between India, China and the US on the special safeguards mechanism, a means to raise tariffs against a sudden surge of imports.
