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WTO: India ready to talk if US stand is positive August 13, 2008 17:58 IST India on Wednesday said it is willing to get back to global trade talks if WTO chief Pascal Lamy gets a positive signal from US next week for resolving the Doha deadlock on issue of safeguards for farmers in developing countries. "We have always said if the WTO Director General feels there is a chance for (another) opening, then we will be prepared to come again to Geneva," Commerce Secretary G K Pillai told reporters on the sidelines of a Ficci-CUTS conference in New Delhi. Pillai said Lamy 'would get back to us,' after his visit to the US and completes consultations with others. A marathon meeting of 30 trade ministers failed to reach a common ground when they met in Geneva between July 21-29 on an issue of the level of protection for developing countries in case of import surge post a market-opening Doha deal. In the core group of seven nations, India and China rejected the US proposals which would have meant little flexibility with the developing countries in case imports of agricultural commodities surge. While Lamy declined to comment on whether he was trying another meeting of ministers, reports suggest chances of another major attempt to reach a breakthrough on a deal which, many hope, could provide the much-needed stimulus to the world economy, marked by slowdown and food crisis.
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