It'll be give and take at WTO: Maran

NEW DELHI, Nov 24 (PTI) — India tonight decided to resist any move at the WTO ministerial meeting at Seattle to allow participation of non governmental organisations (NGOs) in the dispute settlement mechanism and raising of non-trade related social and environment issues by industrialised nations.

This was decided at the meeting of the cabinet committee on foreign trade which met here for over 90 minutes to give a brief to the Indian Delegation to Seattle led by Commerce and Industry Minister Murasoli Maran.

Soon after the meeting, Mr Maran said, "India would adopt a give and take approach at Seattle to protect the country’s interest and also bargain for trade access".

He, however, declined to go into specifics, but indicated that the opposition parties would be taken into confidence about India’s strategy which was finalised today.

The meeting with the opposition parties is likely to be held tomorrow.

Besides Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Mr Maran the meeting was attended among others by Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, HRD Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi, Textiles Minister Kashiram Rana. IT Minister Pramod Mahajan and Environment Minister T.R. Baalu.

Earlier in the day Mr Maran had meeting with the BJP and a few other constituents of the NDA to elicit views on WTO issues. During the meeting Mr Maran said India would not yield on issues of national concern like food security.

"National interests will be the touchstone at Seattle, "he said after his dialogue with political parties and meeting National Advisory Committee on International Trade in the run up to WTO meeting.

Early this month he had such meetings with opposition parties, including the Congress and Left parties.