São Paulo - "The G-20 has shown that it is strong and can get things done", affirmed minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim, commenting on the World Trade Organization agreement on Saturday putting an end to farm subsidies. The G-20 is led by Brazil and India and consists of developing nations. According to Amorim, at least one other nation, probably from the Americas, should join the group soon.

The minister called the WTO agreement on subsidies historical. He said it paves the way for EU and FTAA trade agreements that Brazil, along with its Mercosur partners, is negotiating. Amorim said the agreement was possible because other issues, such as investments, government procurement and rules on competition, were left out of the talks. "Those issues complicate the negotiations because they involve development policy. If the lesson of these talks is learned, future EU and FTAA negotiations will be easier," said Amorim.

According to Amorim, even the European commissioner for trade, Pascal Lamy, recognized that the G-20 represents a new force in international trade negotiations. "The G-20 is something that did not exist before. We have created a triangular relationship: the United States, the European Union, and Brazil, leading the emerging nations," declared the minister.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Mylena Fiori
Translator: Allen Bennett
08/05/2004