Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
THE GREENS/EFA IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
PRESS RELEASE – Brussels, 11 September 2003

The Green view from Cancun:
Green/EFA delegates applaud developing countries' solidarity

The ever-growing solidarity amongst the developing countries in Cancun is causing problems for the European Union but earns the endorsement of Green and European Free Alliance MEPs in Cancun. The creation of the 'G21' group of major developing countries including India, Brazil, China and Egypt has the potential to change the dynamics of the negotiations which started in Cancun on Wednesday.

Caroline Lucas MEP (Greens – UK), who is a member of the European Parliament's group of observers in Cancun, explained: "India, Brazil, China, Egypt, Malaysia and Indonesia represent half of the world's population. They have added their voices and political weight to the opposition from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) blocs to launching new negotiations on investment and other treaties – the so-called 'Singapore issues'. I believe that under any system of natural justice, as well as under the WTO rules, that should be sufficient to demonstrate that there is NO explicit consensus among the membership to proceed, a condition which was agreed in Doha. On behalf of the Greens/EFA Group I appeal to the EU and the US to listen to these voices, withdraw their demands and instead to concentrate their energies on removing their damaging agricultural export subsidies."

Paul Lannoye MEP (Ecolo -- BE), also in Cancun as a member of the Parliament's group, commented: "At the last Ministerial meeting in Doha we saw the beginnings of an emerging coalition between the developing and least developed countries but this was broken by the bullying and arm-twisting tactics of the major developed countries. This time round the leaders of the developing world appear to be ready to stand against the EU and the US in refusing to agree to northern demands until their demands have been met and the existing programme of work, set in Doha, has been completed. I applaud this growing sense of confidence, which I hope will be able to counter-balance the excessive influence of the northern countries and enable us to create a real Agenda for Sustainable development."

Contact Steve Emmott in Cancun, Mobile no: +52 9989 37797