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Blair urges US to respond to WTO ruling on tariffs
Birmingham, Nov 18: British Prime Minister Tony Blair called on the US to respond to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling that us steel tariffs are illegal.
Birmingham, Nov 18: British Prime Minister Tony Blair called on the US to respond to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling that us steel tariffs are
illegal.
Blair told an audience of business leaders in the city of
Birmingham, central England, that he would be arguing
Britain's case on trade with US President George W Bush on his
state visit to the country this week.
"Obviously in relation to the United States and the issues to do with steel tariffs we will make the points as we have very forcefully to them," Blair told the annual conference of the confederation of British industry.
"What is important to US is to hold very firm with the rest of Europe, actually, in this case.
"The WTO rules have been breached. It's important that America responds to that and we look to them to response to it properly."
Last week the WTO ruled that us tariffs on certain steel imports imposed in March 2002 were illegal, prompting a threat by the European Union to hit the United States with billions of dollars in sanctions in retaliation.
The row is threatening efforts to liberalise global trade that have already stalled since a meeting in Cancun, Mexico collapsed three months ago amid deep divisions between rich and poor nations.
It was vital that the talks were restarted "and that the failure at Cancun is reversed," argued Blair.
Bureau Report
"Obviously in relation to the United States and the issues to do with steel tariffs we will make the points as we have very forcefully to them," Blair told the annual conference of the confederation of British industry.
"What is important to US is to hold very firm with the rest of Europe, actually, in this case.
"The WTO rules have been breached. It's important that America responds to that and we look to them to response to it properly."
Last week the WTO ruled that us tariffs on certain steel imports imposed in March 2002 were illegal, prompting a threat by the European Union to hit the United States with billions of dollars in sanctions in retaliation.
The row is threatening efforts to liberalise global trade that have already stalled since a meeting in Cancun, Mexico collapsed three months ago amid deep divisions between rich and poor nations.
It was vital that the talks were restarted "and that the failure at Cancun is reversed," argued Blair.
Bureau Report