| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Tita Freeman |
| October 10, 2005 |
(202) 496-3269 |
Washington, D.C. - Business Roundtable today welcomed a new
U.S. agriculture offer that provides new momentum to the Doha
Round, and called on other nations to demonstrate the same
leadership.
"This proposal is highly timely, and a demonstration of
strong U.S. leadership needed to unlock not just the Doha
agriculture negotiations, but the entire Doha Round," said
John J. Castellani, President of Business Roundtable.
Nations around the world have called for U.S. leadership,
and a bold new agriculture offer. Today's proposal by the
U.S. government answers those calls and provides a strong
impetus to the Doha Round. Business Roundtable urges other
WTO Member countries to show the same political commitment
to the Doha Development Agenda and to break the deadlock in
agriculture and in all other core negotiating areas: Non-Agricultural
Market Access, Services, and Trade Facilitation.
"With just nine weeks to go before the WTO Ministerial Meeting
in Hong Kong this is the time for action," added Castellani.
As part of its ongoing effort to support the Doha negotiations,
Business Roundtable has joined with other major CEO organizations
from throughout the world to form World Business Leaders
for Growth. The international business leaders have called
for a rapid, successful and ambitious conclusion of negotiations
in all core areas of the Doha Round to enhance global economic
growth and to secure an agreement that serves the interests
of developed and developing countries alike.
In a policy statement released last month called "Advancing
the Promise of Doha," World Business Leaders for Growth
called on WTO Members to intensify their efforts and put the
Doha Development Agenda back on track, showing real progress,
without lowering expectations. The new U.S. agriculture offer
answers that call.
"A successful conclusion of the Doha Round would spur growth
and increase confidence in a fragile global economy," said
Castellani. "Today's proposal is an important step forward.
We urge trade ministers around the world not to let this opportunity
pass."
# # #
Business Roundtable (www.businessroundtable.org) is an
association of chief executive officers of leading corporations
with a combined workforce of more than 10 million employees
and $4 trillion in annual revenues. The chief executives are
committed to advocating public policies that foster vigorous
economic growth, a dynamic global economy, and a well-trained
and productive U.S. workforce essential for future competitiveness.
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