Parliamentary Meeting on International Trade EndsThe parliamentary meeting on international trade concluded here Saturday giving approval to the declaration which provides a parliamentary dimension for a free, just and equitable multilateral trading system.The declaration pointed out that the focus of the international trade must be on people-centered development, which means an increased market access for the exports of developing countries, and greater scope for debt reduction allied with increased development assistance and better access to technology. The declaration said that the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is committed to strengthening the rule-based world trading regime with the World Trade Organization at its center and hope to see the resolution of outstanding implementation issues from the Uruguay Round and greater focus on development in future trade negotiations. Representatives from developing countries praised the declaration as it expressed the interests and requirements of developing countries. During the two-day meeting, delegates from 80 countries' parliaments and some international organizations have launched wide debate on current multilateral trade system and WTO as well as the role of parliaments in the new round talks. The parliamentary meeting on international trade is the first of its kind run by IPU, a world organization of parliaments of sovereign states. |
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