The Commonwealth talks trade in Tokyo and Brussels
16 February 2004
Trade ministers from Commonwealth countries today held meetings in Tokyo with Japanese government ministers, as part of their nine-day mission to urge major global players on trade to negotiate positively and flexibly to reinvigorate the Doha Round of trade talks.
The Commonwealth trade delegation had three separate meetings with Mr Goji Sakamoto, Senior Vice Minister, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, with Mr Ichiro Aizawa, Senior Vice Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with Mr Yoshiyuki Kamei, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Speaking in Tokyo today Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, Mr Winston Cox, who is accompanying the mission said, "We have been encouraged by what we have heard in our meetings and feel that momentum is building to get the trade talks back on track."
The trade mission will continue to Brussels to meet with European Union Trade Commissioner, Pascal Lamy on Thursday, 19 February. On the same day, the mission will conclude at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London with a meeting with Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon and press conference. The members of the mission are:
Hon Alhaji Idris Waziri, chair
(member of G-20 and representing President Olusegun Obasanjo, Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office)
Minister of Commerce, Nigeria
Dame Billie Miller
(Head, Caribbean Region Negotiations on Doha Round, Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with EU and FTAA)
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Barbados
Hon Kaliopate Tavola
(Pacific Region)
Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Fiji Islands
The mission is being supported by a team from the Commonwealth Secretariat led by Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, Mr Winston Cox.
Note to editors
On Monday last week the ministers had discussions with the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi, in Geneva. They proceeded to Washington D.C. where they met Horst Köhler, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and later Alan Larson, Under Secretary for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs, United States State Department. While there, they briefed Senators Payne and Jefferson, members of the Congressional Black Caucus of the United States Senate, and held a meeting with senior officials of the World Bank.
At their summit in December 2003 in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, Commonwealth Heads said, 'We regret the breakdown of negotiations in Cancún. We support immediate re-engagement by all concerned and urge that all show the flexibility and political courage necessary to deliver a balanced Round'. The Heads gave the Commonwealth Trade Ministers Mission its mandate at this summit.
For further details please contact the following officials of the Commonwealth Secretariat: Mr Mwambu Wanendeya, who is travelling with the mission, on + 44 7730 900020 or Ms Minelle Fernandez on + 44 79 57324346.
The trade mission will hold a concluding press conference at the Commonwealth Secretariat at 4:30p.m. on Thursday, 19 February 2004.
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