December 5 , 2005: Robert Sturdy to lead
talks on fairer trade deal for world's poorest countries at WTO
negotiations
The talks are being held in Hong Kong
Euro MP Robert Sturdy will lead crucial
talks next week on opening new trading opportunities for the world’s
poorest countries at the World Trade Organisation Ministerial in
Hong Kong.
Mr Sturdy, is Co-Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary
WTO Committee and Spokesman on International Trade for the Conservative
EPP, which makes up the largest group in the European Parliament.
He
said: “My greatest concern is that this round of talks
is meant to be a development round and increasingly it looks like
it will be held hostage by a small number of powerful interest
groups. The world's poorest countries must be given a real opportunity
to benefit from world trade rather than relying on aid handouts.
Failure to achieve this will cause grave damage to the credibility
of the WTO. We must engage with rapidly developing countries such
as India, China and Brazil; get our own house into order and ensure
that partners such as the US and Japan do likewise, but not forget
who this round is intended to help”.
Mr Sturdy plans to make
regular Press reports from Hong Kong to keep the people of East
Anglia fully informed. The week-long talks will take place between
13th-18th December.
