Reuters | Sept. 13, 2003
BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil said on Saturday it expected world trade talks to produce a modest, general accord on agriculture that set the agenda for further talks but did not target the subsidy cuts developing nations are after.
Brazil, a leading nation in the newly formed ``Group of 21'' of developing countries, said the agricultural accord due to be issued at the World Trade Organization meeting in Cancun, Mexico, would not define future trade rules.
``There will be an accord, but it won't be an accord that defines commercial rules, it will be one that defines the kind of negotiations to be put in place and the issues that will continue to be discussed,'' Brazilian Agriculture Minister Roberto Rodrigues said on a conference call from Cancun.
Brazil and other G21 nations are demanding that the European Union and the United States eliminate heavy subsidies to their farmers.
EU and U.S. officials said on Friday the concessions could not come from just one side.
``It's going to be a final document between the two extremes,'' Rodrigues said, without defining terms.
Rodrigues expected the final agricultural accord to be issued at around 11:00 a.m. EDT in Cancun.Reuters:
