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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">July 1, 2006 <i>(11:10 a.m. EDT)</i><span> </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">No. 73</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">MINISTERS DISAPPOINTED BY LACK OF PROGRESS IN WTO TALKS</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Honourable David L. Emerson, Minister of International Trade, and the Honourable
Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian
Wheat Board, today expressed their disappointment at the lack of progress in WTO
Doha Development Agenda negotiations at an informal meeting of ministers this week
in Geneva, Switzerland. Ministers representing key WTO members met to try to
advance key issues in agriculture and non-agricultural market-access negotiations. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">"While WTO members have worked hard to reach an agreement, the gaps among
members' negotiating positions proved to be too great to bridge during this meeting,"
said Minister Emerson. "Open economies like Canada's have much to gain from the
multilateral trading system, and we will continue to work closely with other WTO
members to resolve differences in these negotiations."</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">"We came here looking for a positive outcome for Canada's entire agriculture sector,
including supply-managed and export-oriented industries," said Minister Strahl. "An
ambitious conclusion to the Doha Round is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that is in
the best interests of not only Canadian farmers but developing nations as well."</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Canada continues to support an ambitious outcome to the Doha negotiations as our
economic prosperity, now and in the future, depends upon enhancing access to global
markets for Canadian manufactured and agricultural goods, services, and natural
resources. The WTO also provides the best forum to better integrate developing </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">countries into the global economy. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Despite the lack of progress at this meeting, the Doha negotiations are not finished.
Canada will remain fully engaged and work closely with other WTO members to
promote our interests in these negotiations. We urge members to redouble their efforts
to resolve differences on key issues, including tariff-reduction formulas, agricultural
subsidies, as well as the selection and treatment of sensitive and special products. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">To ensure our future economic prosperity, we will build on multilateral efforts by
continuing to pursue regional and bilateral trade initiatives. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Ministers appreciated the support of the large number of provincial representatives and
industry stakeholders present in Geneva. Their presence clearly displays the
importance of these negotiations to Canadians, and the Government of Canada will
continue to actively consult with our stakeholders as the negotiations progress. </span></span></p>
<br>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Jennifer Chiu<br>
Press Secretary<br>
Office of the Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and<br>
the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics<br>
(613) 992-7332</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Trade Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada<br>
(613) 996-2000<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221142257/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Conrad Bellehumeur<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Minister Strahl's Office<br>
(613) 759-1059</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Media Relations<br>
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada<br>
(613) 759-7972<br>
1-866-345-7972<br>
</span></span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221142257/http://www.agr.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.agr.gc.ca/</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></span></p>
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