|
Comment on this article |
Email this Article
|
|
BTL:Poor Nations Condemn World Trade Organization Agreements as Unfair |
Current rating: 0 |
by Between the Lines' Scott Harris
Email: betweenthelines (nospam) snet.net (verified)
Address: BETWEEN THE LINES c/o WPKN Radio 89.5 FM Bridgeport, Connecticut |
31 Dec 2005
|
|
Interview with Anuradha Mittal, executive director of the Oakland Institute, conducted by Between the Lines' Scott Harris |
Poor Nations Condemn World Trade Organization Agreements as Unfair
Interview with Anuradha Mittal, executive director of the Oakland Institute, conducted by Scott Harris
Three years ago, the World Trade Organization ministerial summit meeting in Cancun, Mexico collapsed over disagreements between industrial and developing nations regarding the issue of agricultural and other subsidies, payments which critics blame for hurting poor farmers. At the recently concluded WTO summit in Hong Kong, many of these same disagreements were debated and an eleventh hour accord was reached where the U.S. and European Union agreed to cut export subsidies to their farmers by 2013. Developing nations had fought hard for 2010 as the deadline to scrap subsidies, but lost.
Throughout the six-day summit meeting, thousands of protesters opposed to the WTO agenda staged demonstrations. As was the case in Cancun, hundreds of Korean farmers traveled to Hong Kong to express their opposition to free trade policies that they say threatens their livelihood. Many of these same farmers were among 900 who were arrested as they pushed their way into the hall where the WTO was meeting.
Many non-governmental organizations from around the globe denounced the Hong Kong agreement, accusing wealthy nations of betraying their promise to reform trade rules to promote development. Critics also warned that proposals to open up non-agricultural markets and service industries in poor nations to international competition would undermine development. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Anuradha Mittal, executive director of the Oakland Institute. She was at the Hong Kong summit and explains why her group and many others oppose the WTO agreements.
Contact the Oakland Institute by calling (510) 469-5228 or visit their website at www.oaklandinstitute.org
LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:
http://www.btlonline.org
*
"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: http://www.btlonline.org
*
"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe (at) lists.riseup.net
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe (at) lists.riseup.net
*
betweenthelines (at) snet.net
*
http://www.squeakywheel.net/
*
Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions
©2005 Between The Lines. All Rights Reserved. |
See also:
http://www.btlonline.org
http://www.btlonline.org
|
Copyright by the author. All rights reserved. |
