WTO talks have failed: Kamal Nath

Geneva: Talks between six key World Trade Organization members in Geneva broke down and all further discussions have been suspended, according to Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath.

The talks at the informal trade negotiations committee of the WTO failed after a marathon 14-hour meeting between representatives of the six nations -- Australia, Brazil, European Union, Japan and US, besides India.

"Talks have failed. All negotiations have been suspended," Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said.

"It could take anywhere from months to years," Nath said on the possibility of resumption of talks.

Without naming the US, Nath said in a statement earlier at the meeting that "unfortunately one member is unable to make any effective reduction in trade distorting subsidies, but at the same time is insisting that developing countries open up their markets to provide access to their subsidised products."

"We cannot accept opening of our markets for subsidised agriculture products," Nath said.

On non-agriculture market access, Nath said India cannot reduce duties on manufactured products without adequate safeguards.

"This is a serious setback, a major setback,'' Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said.

The meeting, called by WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, was the latest attempt to revive the stalled talks after the failure of the Mini-Ministerial earlier this month.

The fate of the next meeting, scheduled for July 28-29, was not clear.

"I speak with sadness and a sense of loss. The development in the G-6 meeting have highlighted that there is little ground for convergence on the core issues of the Doha Round as of now," Nath said.

However, US officials blamed other trading partners for the failure to bridge differences on another contentious issue of import duties on agricultural tariffs.

"The United States remains committed to a robust, ambitious and balanced round; unfortunately our trading partners were more interested in the loopholes than in market access," US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said.

Besides India, the meeting was attended by ministers from Australia, Brazil, European Union, Japan and the US attended the meeting called by WTO chief Pascal Lamy.

Trade negotiations are stuck on the two most contentious issues of farm subsidies and industrial tariffs due to adamant stance adopted by six key trading nations.

The failure of this meeting has jeopardised the future of Doha Round of world trade talks.

According to sources Kamal Nath will make a statement on WTO talks in Parliament on Tuesday morning.

US wanted EU to cut farm tariffs by 70 per cent whereas EU offered to cut tariffs by 51 per cent, the sources added.

(With inputs from PTI)