Focus on getting trade talks back on track, Annan tells Group of 77

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged the Group of 77 developing countries to focus on getting international trade negotiations "back on track" despite setbacks in the World Trade Organization (WTO) talks in Mexico earlier this month.

Speaking before a meeting of the group that labels itself the largest Third World coalition in the United Nations, and which now has 133 member countries, Mr. Annan said that the talks in Cancún which broke up without agreement between rich and poor nations nevertheless had some positive results.

"Developing countries showed real strength in defending their interests, acting effectively in concert, notably on the issue of agricultural protection and subsidies," he said.

"I hope there will be no backtracking once negotiations resume. And that is precisely where our efforts should now be focused: on getting the negotiations back on track. The Group of 77 can play a key role," he added.

"I hope the talks will be seen by everyone not just as a narrow exercise in mutual concessions, but rather as a wider, universal effort to ensure that the impediments to development in the present international trading arrangements are removed. That is in everyone's interests," he said.