From: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/index.asp?URL=/national/4139064.htm Free trade campaigners ready to cast their Net By SID MARRIS 19apr99 AUSTRALIAN trade negotiators are bracing themselves for an Internet- driven e-mail campaign aimed at defeating the critical next stage of trade liberalisation. Buoyed by the success of the campaign against the multilateral agreement on investment (MAI), anti-free trade groups plan to use the Net to campaign against the "millennium round" of World Trade Organisation talks this year. Australia supports the expansion of trade consultation and aims to build alliances with developing countries such as Indian and African nations on the basis that European and US agricultural protection harms their development. But Canberra is under fire because of its opposition to the inclusion of issues such as human rights, labour standards and environmental impacts in WTO agreements. Other nations such as Canada want the MAI issues dealt with at the WTO, risking further damage for agricultural issues at the talks due to start in November. At a meeting in Geneva this month, copies of e-mail sent to activist organisations were circulated among trade representative from countries keen to promote the next round, including Australia. Titled Strategy sessions on how to stop the WTO millennium round, the e-mail came from the International Coalition for Development Action, a Belgian-based group campaigning against the impact of international trade on developing countries. "The victory of the citizens' group from all over the world over the OECD's Multilateral Agreement on Investment was a marvellous achievement but there has been little time to celebrate," it says. "The proponents of a deregulated global marketplace continue to push for further trade and investment liberalisation in other fora." Other groups such as the Third World Network are believed to be gearing up for a campaign against the WTO talks. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade deputy secretary David Spencer yesterday urged industry bodies to get behind Australia's campaign to ensure trade liberalisation continues and Australian exports grow. "We are actually involved in a very arcane and esoteric issue but it's an issue which everyone should take a strong interest in," he said. While optimistic about a new round starting this year, Mr Spencer warned that unless there was change from the Europeans the process could stall. He said this was especially so after the European Union "squibbed" from making further changes to its Common Agriculture Policy last month "It comes as no surprise that the balance of interests internationally to advance the question of agricultural reform is not wholly in our favour," he said. [This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."] Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
