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Forum to caution Vajpayee against new WTO round

BS Political Bureau

A forum of MPs, ex-MPs and experts, cutting across party-line has decided to call on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to impress upon him that the government must not concede to a new round at the WTO ministerial meeting at Doha.

The fourm comprising George Fernandes, Jaipal Reddy, Prthiviraj Chauhan, AB Bardhan and other experts was of the view that the government should insist that the new round be initiated only after the implementation of the Uruguay Round. The forum was earlier headed by HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi.

In an informal meeting attended by Joshi, Fernandes, Chauhan and experts, the forum decided to call on the Prime Minister in order to caution the government against capitulating to any threat from either the US or the EU.

A member of the forum said that it (the forum) would hold another round of meeting in a week to formulate an opinion.

"Some important members could not attend this meeting though most of us share the same view," he said, adding that a detail draft would be prepared to point out the inability of developed nations to honour their commitments in the Uruguay Round.

Another forum member pointed out that though none of the members subscribe to the view that India should walk out of the WTO, they, however, feel that the government needs to put across its view-point firmly and set the agenda which suits the national interests.

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