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Matthew Vella
The Commonwealth’s heads of government yesterday issued a consensus communique on multilateral trade in which three EU member states – Malta, the United Kingdom, and Cyprus – affirmed the “adverse implications” of the EU’s export subsidies on sugar to its member states.
Part of the 17-point programme drafted by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi on the heads of government’s discussions on trade, the Commonwealth’s 53 nations urged the EU to provide transitional financial arrangements to balance out compensation provided to Commonwealth sugar producers and EU producers.
The Valletta Statement urged the EU to take into account “vulnerable small states less capable of adjustment” in the upcoming reform on the EU sugar regime and that compensation should be delivered “efficiently”.
It also endorsed a commitment towards the elimination of all export subsidies by 2010, a point which places the three EU member states on the other side of the European regime of export subsidies. “Our position here represents the approval of all Commonwealth members and its EU members. The EU has its own regulations which we have to follow, but this statement has the full support of the three EU members who participated intensely in these discussions.”
Commonwealth secretary-general Don McKinnon said there were high expectations that the EU will do more than expected: “there is an expectation that sugar producers of the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and the Pacific will be treated a little better than what is being proposed, hopefully a lot closer than what the sugar producers in Europe will be possible getting in compensation.”
McKinnon called them heavy, but “not unreasonable” demands which sugar producers had been waiting for 20 years.
It was clear however that talks which McKinnon said were “robust” and “with no holds barred”, focused little on the abolishment of the death penalty, which remains in force in 28 Commonwealth countries, more than half the association of British ex-colonies.
Gonzi was categorical in stating Malta’s opposition to the death penalty but little was said about whether the Commonwealth should follow in the EU’s steps to make the abolishment of the death penalty a prerequisite for membership.
Commonwealth member Singapore will execute Australian Nguyen Tuong Van, 25, who will hang for smuggling almost 400 grams of heroin at Changi Airport.
McKinnon said the death penalty was not on the agenda although nothing is stopping leaders from picking up the subject. But there was no indication the matter would be brought up by the Commonwealth secretariat. McKinnon added that few of the Commonwealth countries who retain the death penalty have actually used it.
The Commonwealth yesterday affirmed its commitment to the WTO’s Doha agenda and will be presenting its statement at the forthcoming WTO ministerial conference in Honk Kong, where they will push for the Doha Round towards a “successful conclusion” by latest 2006.
“We define success in the Doha Round to be the extent to which there are early and substantial dividends for all developing countries… we therefore commit ourselves to inject urgency into the work of our negotiators at the WTO.”
The Commonwealth heads also expressed concern on agriculture as the most distorted sector of world trade, saying the next Hong Kong talks should reach agreement on the elimination of all forms of export subsidies by 2010.
mvella@mediatoday.com.mt
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