The Doha Development Agenda negotiations are at a critical juncture. The Nippon Keidanren and the Business Roundtable are deeply concerned that the final window of opportunity for concluding the Doha Round this year is closing. To avoid this serious setback, WTO member countries have to demonstrate strong political leadership and resolve their differences over the modalities in Agriculture and NAMA.
In this sense, when Ministers meet they must definitely be successful in reaching a substantial agreement.
As international business leaders, the members of the Business Roundtable and the Nippon Keidanren know from first hand experience that trade liberalization can play a vital role in boosting worldwide economic growth and the overall welfare of developing and developed countries, workers and consumers. Given the important economic and political stakes for all WTO member countries, we urge our government leaders and all WTO ministers to move the agriculture and NAMA negotiations forward and push ahead with the negotiations in services, rules and trade facilitation, so the promise of the WTO Doha Development Agenda can be achieved this year.
We are committed to working hard for the conclusion of the Doha Round negotiations this year. We believe that this joint effort will also contribute to strengthening the bilateral relationship for the benefit of the U.S. and Japanese economies.