WTO Dispatches from Hong Kong

By Joshua Holland, AlterNet. Posted December 13, 2005.

AlterNet staff writer Joshua Holland is reporting live from Hong Kong on the World Trade Organization Sixth Ministerial Conference. His dispatches of events from the protests and trade negotiations will be updated throughout the week.

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Ending on the Wrong Note -- from Deborah James
Updated -- December 18, 9:24 am PST

Note: Deborah James, who is the Global Economy Director of Global Exchange, sent this dispatch in from Hong Kong on the conclusion of the trade talks.

Tonight, the hope of millions of farmers around the world for a better life for their children were dashed when talks at the World Trade Organization came to a conclusion.

The great economic powers of the world were successfully able to pressure the developing countries into agreeing to a text that is vastly against their interests.

Negotiators have been attempting to portray the deal as a step forward for developing countries. In reality, the deal is a setback for developing nations and for democracy and sovereignty of all countries.

A couple of the salient points:

Agriculture:

The US and EU agreed to allow the imports of goods from the world’s poorest countries, free of tariffs of quotas. However, they agreed to do it for only 97% of the goods, which actually allows them to leave out key products of interest to the same least developed countries.

Several West African countries have made a elimination of rich nation subsidies for cotton a key issue, because it is estimated that these subsidies cost poor African farmers billions in lost revenue. Rich nations agreed to eliminate cotton export subsidies, but failed to set a final date for all subsidies, as the West African countries had demanded.

Development:

The US, EU, and Japan agreed to provide several billion dollars a year in so-called development aid. However, most of this aid is actually already promised; is actually loans, not grants; or will actually be used to for these countries to restructure their economies for integrate the WTO rules, rather than for development. This was often referred to as the “empty development package” because the package will likely not be fulfilled.

Services:

The horrifying text that had been forwarded on services, which would have made service privatization for the vast majority of developing countries mandatory, was somewhat rolled back. However, the fight will now be taken to Geneva to define the future of the privatization of energy, banking, health, water, education, transportation, etc.

The highlight of the evening was the Venezuelan delegation. Venezuela and Cuba had claimed certain reservations in the second to last private meeting, which stated that they disagreed with the text on services and industrial tariffs. During the final public plenary, the chair introduced the final declaration for approval. After hearing applause, he pounded the gavel. At that point, the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mari Pili Hernandez, jumped up on the stage, and insisted that she and the Cuban delegation be given the right to make their reservations public in the meeting. The Chair, after some resistance, finally had to allow them to speak. The Cubans stated that they agreed with consensus, but had certain reservations. The Venezuelans then stated that they made reservations on industrial tariffs and services that they wanted to be put in the final report.

This was a courageous stand, the first time a country has registered reserves, and opens up opportunities for the fight in Geneva.

We will continue.

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The Police Unleash Tear Gas -- for What?
Updated -- December 17, 7:26 pm PST

After a week of noteworthy restraint by the Hong Kong security forces things turned ugly tonight when police responded to a small group of protesters rushing their lines by firing multiple rounds of tear gas at crowds of peaceful demonstrators and onlookers who had gathered outside the Convention Center.

The scene in the street was surreal as I left the "locked down" venue through a little-used entrance on the side opposite the large group of protesters. The streets were filled with riot police. Many were in jeans and t-shirts -- all were helmeted -- after apparently being called to duty from their homes.

On the street in front of the Convention Center, a group of Korean farmers were entertaining the crowds with a large drum circle. In addition to chanting "down, down WTO," they chanted "Citizens of Hong Kong" about thirty times and then: "nice to meet you!" At a later point, on another street, they sat and chanted: "We love Hong Kong," to which some onlookers yelled, "We love Korea!" One person then yelled: "South Korea, that is."

Police seemed flustered by the demos. I stood in front of the Convention Center for perhaps an hour witnessing a bizarre series of moves. At a signal, the riot police would extend their collapsible metal batons and yell something in unison. Then they'd rapidly advance in a line for a hundred feet or so. Then retreat.

Joshua Holland is an AlterNet staff writer.

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