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India's stand on core labour standards vindicated: Maran

Union Commerce Minister Murasoli Maran on Wednesday said that India's concern over linking core labour standards and environment with global trade has been vindicated by the 10th G-15 summit.

In sharp contrast to the lack of support on these issues at the Seattle conference in November, a communique issued at the end of the summit on Tuesday reflected the realisation among developing countries of the great dangers in linking labour, environment, health and safety standards to trade.

"The countries of the South have at last realised the danger of linking labour with WTO and raised their voice in concern at the Cairo meet," Maran told reporters.

Recalling the failure of G-15 Commerce ministers to reach a consensus on WTO issues at the Seattle conference, he said, "I find a sea change in the attitude of G-15 members now. While earlier only three or four countries were supportive of India's stand, now for the first time a transcontinental group has come out explicitly against core labour standards."

"What happened is a great victory for India's persuasion and position," he said.

Referring to the non-implementation of the Uruguay Round, Maran said, "The message from the Cairo Summit is loud and clear: readdress the implementation issue, then we go forward to the next round of multilateral trade talks. It is our legitimate demand."

He termed as dismal the record on the issue of implementation of decisions and said the G-15 commerce ministers' meeting in Kuala Lumpur in August would review the progress in this regard and if necessary form a committee.

To a question, Maran said the G-15 countries would discuss removal of non-tariff barriers to boost trade among the member nations and added that Chile and Egypt had expressed keenness in trade pacts with India.

Maran said Egyptian premier Otef Ebeid, during a meeting with him, had sought Indian investment and expertise in the pharmaceutical, chemical and textile sectors.

Meanwhile, during a meeting between Vice-President Krishna Kant and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday, the two sides agreed to identify specific areas of economic cooperation under the Indo-Egypt Joint Commission, headed by the foreign ministers of the two countries, scheduled to meet in New Delhi later this year.

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