The WTO talks at Seattle have ended without any agreement

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The WTO talks at Seattle have ended without any agreement due to the efforts to impose non-trade issues like labour and environment standards by the US and some of the Western countries. It is good that the developing countries, including India, resisted this overbearing attitude unitedly. However, the US has not given up their efforts and vigilance is required to thwart future moves.

The drafts prepared on agriculture and services indicate that the concerns of India and other third world countries have not been properly taken into account. But, a full assessment must await the return of the Indian delegation from Seattle.