Egypt to consult with other countries on WTO talks

An Egyptian economic delegation will hold consultations with Arab and Islamic delegations as well those of the Group of Fifteen (G-15) and COMESA ahead of a ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The delegation, which left Cairo yesterday, was led by Undersecretary of Ministry of Economy El-Sayed Fouad Qasem.

The four-day WTO Conference will be hosted by Qatar from November 9-13. The Egyptian delegation to the conference will be headed by Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Youssef Boutros Ghali.

In pre-departure statements Wednesday, Qasem said that the Egyptian delegation will focus on the need to the implement 98 items in international agreements and pledges, reached in 1995.

"The Egyptian team will also demand that developed countries fulfill commitments including liberalization of agricultural products trade and eliminating obstacles to developing countries, access to their markets," he added.

He added that holding the WTO conference in an Arab state sends a clear message that Arab and Muslim countries have nothing to do with terrorism.