The Minister of State for Enterprise, Mr Tom Kitt, told the WTO it should not predetermine the outcome of any aspect of the trade round it hoped to launch. In a clear reference to Ireland's rejection of a reference to "phasing out" agricultural subsidies, Mr Kitt reminded ministers from 142 countries that this week's meeting was just the start of the process.
"It would be wrong and unhelpful to the entire process for WTO members to insist, at this point, when we are trying to agree only on the framework for these negotiations, that the negotiations themselves should achieve a precise result under any particular heading," he said.
Mr Kitt told the Ministerial Conference that Ireland was committed to launching a new round of negotiations aimed at liberalising trade. He suggested Ireland's economic progress over recent years showed how international trade could promote economic activity and alleviate poverty.
"Ireland's own economic experience over the last decade has shown us how an economy can be transformed through increased trade. This experience strongly suggests that trade is vital for developing countries in helping them boost their economic growth," he said. The Minister reaffirmed the Republic's commitment to overseas development aid and called on developed countries to help poorer countries to participate more fully in the international trading system.
Irish anti-poverty campaigners welcomed Mr Kitt's commitment to helping developing countries, but Ms Maura Leen of Tr≤caire said he should have gone further.
"In terms of broader issues and interests and the needs of developing countries, it was weak. In relation to the development agenda, we'd like to have seen more," she said.
Mr Conall O Caoimh of C≤mhlβmh said that, while the livelihoods of Irish farmers must be protected, the EU should find a better way of achieving this than through export subsidies.
"Within the protection of farmers' interests we must also find space to protect the poorest people in the world. We are concerned about export subsidies for products that threaten the livelihoods of people in the poorest countries," he said.
