国际组织动向—世贸组织秘书长拉米关注贸易谈判进程

WTO Chief Lamy Concerned about

Trade Talks' Progress

世贸组织秘书长拉米关注贸易谈判进程

 

The World Trade Organization's Hong Kong gathering¹ in December is supposed to approve the outlines of an agreement cutting subsidies², tariffs⁴ and other trade barriers, the goal set four years ago in the city of Doha.

 

During a visit to Hong Kong on Sunday, WTO Director General Pascal Lamy emphasized the importance of the coming conference. In a speech at the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents Club, he called the December meeting the WTO's best opportunity to conclude the Doha round of trade talks by the end of next year. Mr. Lamy stressed that the Hong Kong ministerial conference must succeed.

 

Lamy: Now, what does success mean? In my view, and for what it is worth, it means we must use this occasion to resolve two-thirds of the issues on our agenda. We must complete the work, the core work, in agriculture, industrial tariffs and services.

 

One of the most crucial conditions for the success of the meeting is an accord on ending agricultural subsidies.

 

During the past week there has been a sudden flurry of efforts to end a deadlock⁵ in the negotiations⁶.

 

The United States and the European Union have proposed plans to cut agricultural subsidies and tariffs. Both are in the spotlight⁷ because critics say U.S. and E.U. subsidies help farmers offload goods at artificially low prices, undercutting producers in poor countries.

 

Despite this new momentum⁸, the 148 governments that are members of the WTO are still far from a breakthrough. Mr. Lamy says the WTO is struggling to finalize⁹ its preparations for the December meeting.

 

Lamy: And although I am not downcast on the prospects¹⁰ [of reaching an agreement], I really remain concerned at the size of the task at hand. With so little time remaining, we cannot afford to waste a single day, and everybody can be sure that I and the [WTO] secretariat will spare no effort to bring about a success in December.

 

Among other things, WTO negotiators also must reach accords on issues such as tariffs on industrial goods, and rules on opening service industries for foreign competition.

 

Mr. Lamy stressed Sunday that no agreement will be possible in Hong Kong, if the concerns of developing nations are not addressed. Three-quarters of the WTO's members are developing economies.

 

Claudia Blume, VOA news, Hong Kong.

 

注释：

outline [5Eutlain] n. 大纲，概要

subsidy¹¹ [5sQbsidi] n. 补助金，津贴

tariff³ [5tArif] n. 关税，税则

Doha [5dEuhE] n. 多哈（卡塔尔的首都）

stress [stres] vt. 着重强调

accord [E5kC:d] n. 一致

offload [5RflEud] v. 卸下

downcast [5daunkB:st] adj. 气馁的

secretariat [sekrE5teEriEt] n. 秘书处

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

4 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

5 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

8 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

9 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

10 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

11 subsidy   

n.补助金，津贴

参考例句：

• The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
• The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。