Venezuela Threatens to Forestall WTO Agreement

[Clara T]

Venezuela Threatens to Forestall WTO Agreement
Friday, Dec 16, 2005

By: Simone Baribeau - Venezuelanalysis.com

Caracas, Venezuela, December 16, 2005—Venezuelan officials say the WTO discussions taking place in Hong Kong are failing, and was among the countries threatening to forestall the agreement, citing concerns about unfair advantages in agriculture for the global north and the risk that the agreement could lead to industrial sabotage in southern countries.

“Developed countries invade the world with their subsidized products and, as if it were nothing, hermetically seal their boarders to the products of the global south,” said Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Alí Rodríguez Araque.

Venezuela, along with 10 other countries, including Argentina, Brazil and India, formed a group which set forth conditions which needed to be met before they went ahead with negotiations on non-agriculture market access (NAMA).

The group’s statement said, “The ambition in NAMA cannot be viewed in isolation. It has to be proportional and commensurate with the contributions by developed countries in other market access areas. Developing countries cannot be expected to pay for the much-needed reforms in the agriculture sectors of developed countries.”

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1849

[PDJane]

1. Good.

It's about time someone pointed out the sheer chutzpah of this. Free trade is putting more people into poverty than it is pulling out, simply because the deck is stacked.

[Voltaire99]

2. Agreed. (nt)

[bvar22]

3. Not good news for the International Robber Barons!

"Venezuela, along with 10 other countries, including Argentina, Brazil and India, formed a group which set forth conditions which needed to be met before they went ahead with negotiations on non-agriculture market access (NAMA)."


The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

In EVERY case, "Barriers to Trade" and "Restrictions on Corporations" were created to protect something valuable!




K&R
:dem:

[Judi Lynn]

4. More Venezuela news:Chevron agrees to convert Venezuela contracts to JV

UPDATE 2-Chevron agrees to convert Venezuela contracts to JV
Fri Dec 16, 2005 3:29 PM ET


CARACAS, Venezuela, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Chevron (CVX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has agreed to transform its two operating contracts in Venezuela into joint ventures with state oil company PDVSA, yielding to government pressure for a larger share of revenue.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. major oil company said on Friday Chevron expected to sign a formal agreement next Monday.

"Chevron will officially accept to shift our operating services agreements for Boscan and LL652 project to joint ventures format as required by the new hydrocarbons law," she said, citing a statement by Chevron's Latin America president, Ali Moshiri.

PDVSA should have a stake of between 60 and 70 percent in the future joint ventures, according to Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez, but few other details on how the entities will work are available. Under Venezuela's new hydrocarbons law, oil firms have to pay a 30 percent royalty and 50 percent tax.
(snip/...)

http://today.reuters.com/investing/FinanceArticle.aspx?type=mergersNews&storyID=URI:urn:newsml:reuters.com:20051216:MTFH21141_2005-12-16_20-29-58_N16323532:1

[Judi Lynn]

5. Brazil, Venezuela Work on Refinery Plans

Dec. 16, 2005, 6:27PM
Brazil, Venezuela Work on Refinery Plans


By HAROLD OLMOS Associated Press Writer
© 2005 The Associated Press

SUAPE, Brazil — The presidents of Venezuela and Brazil pressed forward Friday with plans to build a shared oil refinery at this Atlantic port, vowing to bolster South America's neglected infrastructure.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva laid the cornerstone Friday for a $2.5 billion refinery that will process heavy crude from Venezuela's huge Orinoco Belt and Brazilian offshore fields.

The refinery won't come online until 2011, but it's already a symbol of the converging geopolitical and economic interests of both countries _ and the growing regional influence of the visiting Venezuelan president. Chavez, an outspoken critic of U.S. foreign policy, said South America must unite to overcome the underdevelopment he blamed on "imperialism of the North."

"They took our wealth and left us with poverty," Chavez said. Venezuela is now "looking South," and the refinery is part of its continental development plan.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/3530650.html
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