SOUTH AFRICA REACTS POSITIVELY TO WTO NEGOTIATING

UNCLAS PRETORIA 003591

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/EPS, EB
USDOC FOR 4510/ITA/MAC/AME/OA/JDIEMOND
DEPT PASS USTR FOR PCOLEMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD SF WTO WTRO USTR
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA REACTS POSITIVELY TO WTO NEGOTIATING
FRAMEWORK

REF: STATE 168991


1. The South African government hailed the August 1 deal
reached in Geneva on a new framework for the negotiations of
the Doha Development Agenda as an important milestone and
victory for developing countries. Xavier Carim, South
Africa's chief trade negotiator, said that the group of 20
developing countries had a significant influence on the
outcome. He asserted that the group was now a stronger
alliance than ever before and would become a permanent
feature of WTO talks. He cautioned, however, that the most
hotly contested issues had yet to be resolved.


2. South African economists and the media were also very
positive about the agreement. Dr. Iraq Abedian, chief
executive of the Pan African Avisory Service, felt that the
fact that multilateralism in international trade is back on
track was clearly good for the world economy and could
provide a way out of the poverty trap for many emerging
economies. Ron Derby of the "Citizen" said that the
breakthrough in WTO talks held out promise for developing
economies that wanted to get into agricultural markets in the
EU and the United States. The "Sowetan" newspaper was
particularly pleased with the timing of the agreement,
arguing that no progress would have been registered between
now and the U.S. presidential election if this deadline had
been missed.
FRAZER