Brazil urged the U.S., Europe and Japan to revisit their agricultural subsidy policies, saying they are the main factor discouraging developing countries from increasing food production.
Brazil Urges U.S., Europe to Review Food Subsidies on Shortage
By Andre Soliani an Carla Simoes
May 8 (Bloomberg) -- Brazil urged the U.S., Europe and Japan to revisit their agricultural subsidy policies, saying they are the main factor discouraging developing countries from increasing food production.
``The food crisis requires us to put a new focus on the Doha round'' of free-trade talks, Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said in an interview with Bloomberg Television today. ``That would eliminate what today is the main factor hindering food production in the third world.''
Amorim said rich nations must act to move forward on the free-trade talks because they need food that can be produced by developing nations. ``The ball's isn't in our court, it's with the U.S., European Union and Japan.''
On talks with Paraguay, Amorim said the Brazilian government is open to discussing terms of the treaty that created Itaipu, a dam that straddles the countries' Parana River border. Brazil can help Paraguay, which is demanding more money from Brazil for Itaipu power, make more efficient use of the electricity generated by the dam, he said. He declined to elaborate on other possible solutions to the dispute.
Brazil and Paraguay each own half of Itaipu. Paraguay, which sells about 95 percent of its Itaipu power to Brazil under conditions stipulated in a 1973 treaty, is seeking to renegotiate prices. |
