Zoellick: 'Now or never' for trade talks

Published: July 21, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Order reprints
File photo of Robert Zoellick dated May 30, 2007. (UPI Photo/Roger L. Wollenberg)
File photo of Robert Zoellick dated May 30, 2007. (UPI Photo/Roger L. Wollenberg) | Enlarge Enlarge
WASHINGTON, July 21 (UPI) -- World Bank President Robert Zoellick is urging trade ministers to reach an accord in the Doha Round of the world trade talks.

Zoellick said it's "now or never" for negotiations among ministers attending the World Trade Organization talks.

"Progress on agriculture is paramount," Zoellick said in a statement. "An open and fair system would create opportunities for developing country farmers to expand production, for consumers in all countries to lower prices, and for governments to save on the costs of subsidies, improving budgets

"Both developing and developed economies stand to gain from lower barriers to goods and agriculture."

Zoellick urged negotiators to resist pressure for protectionism, saying that would return the world to "economic isolationism" and "would reap the losses, not the gains, of globalization."

Talks got under way Monday.


© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Judge: No women ski jumping in 2010 games (13 min)
High court: Political ads on buses legal (14 min)
UPI NewsTrack Sports (19 min)
Boy, 12, allegedly raped schoolmate (19 min)
UPI NewsTrack TopNews (19 min)
Mickelson withdraws from British Open (24 min)
Grain futures close mixed (31 min)
fark
Prospect Heights, Illinois Police Department HQ to close to the public on Fridays. Citizens are...
This sounds safe: 500,000 people with access to military weapons, all going through nicotine withdrawal...
"She's an opportunistic gold-digging attention whore," says opportunistic gold-digging attention...
Llost llamas llocated in Llouisville
2001: Teacher fired for sleeping with student. 2003: Hired again by same school. 2006: Fired again...
Drunk man on tractor leads police on wild, 40-minute chase at speeds up to 12 MPH