ANKARA/CANCUN - State Minister Kursat Tuzmen said on Friday that the way to balanced and fair trade in the world had to be opened.
Tuzmen called developed countries to lift all agricultural subsidies which spoil trade.
State Ministry issued a statement noting that Tuzmen addressed the World Trade Organization (WTO) Council of Ministers conference held in Cancun city of Mexico and stated that the decisions taken earlier in Doha meeting and application of those decisions were pleasing.
Tuzmen pointed out that countries put forward their strong will to form a more balanced and transparent commercial system during the Cancun meeting.
Tuzmen stated that reforms planned to be undertaken in agriculture constituted the basic agenda of the meeting, adding that ''agriculture carries vital importance for many countries. In that respect, a balanced frame has to be formed. Developing countries can't allocate sufficient support to agriculture, but the amount of the subsidies which developed countries allocate for agriculture is too much. This causes big difficulties. Developed countries have to lift all the agricultural subsidies to overcome this imbalance. More flexible obligations had to be brought for developing countries to reduce their tariffs.''
Tuzmen added that Turkey would be pleased with participation of Nepal and Cambodia to WTO.
(Öª-AÖ) 12.09.2003