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India favours access to cheap medicines for poor African nations
New Delhi, Aug 29: India today said TRIPS and public health was not commercial issue but humanitarian one which should be resolved in a manner that ensures availability of cheap medicines to poorer nations.
New Delhi, Aug 29: India today said TRIPS and public health was not commercial issue but humanitarian one which should be resolved in a manner that ensures availability of cheap medicines to poorer nations.
"We will go with what the African nations want on the issue of TRIPS and public health... We will support them on this. For us it is not a commercial issue but a humanitarian one," S N Menon, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, said at a seminar on WTO organised by FICCI and ICRIER here.
He said India`s interest in the issue was that of a responsible government to see that the poor nations of Africa have access to cheap medicines.
Noting that the issue was yet to be resolved, he said whatever movement was to happen would happen at Cancun Ministerial Meeting of WTO.
Meanwhile, in Geneva officials from WTO member countries failed to reach a final agreement on the issue.
"Following many hours of intensive consultation, there is a problem with respect to the interpretation," Keith Rockwell, the WTO spokesman, said yesterday in Geneva, following the adjournment of a meeting of WTO General Council.
Although another meeting is still possible later Friday, Rockwell said it was now "very unlikely" that a decision could be taken before a meeting of trade ministers from the WTO`s 146 member countries in Cancun, Mexico, opening Sept. 10.
Bureau Report
"We will go with what the African nations want on the issue of TRIPS and public health... We will support them on this. For us it is not a commercial issue but a humanitarian one," S N Menon, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, said at a seminar on WTO organised by FICCI and ICRIER here.
He said India`s interest in the issue was that of a responsible government to see that the poor nations of Africa have access to cheap medicines.
Noting that the issue was yet to be resolved, he said whatever movement was to happen would happen at Cancun Ministerial Meeting of WTO.
Meanwhile, in Geneva officials from WTO member countries failed to reach a final agreement on the issue.
"Following many hours of intensive consultation, there is a problem with respect to the interpretation," Keith Rockwell, the WTO spokesman, said yesterday in Geneva, following the adjournment of a meeting of WTO General Council.
Although another meeting is still possible later Friday, Rockwell said it was now "very unlikely" that a decision could be taken before a meeting of trade ministers from the WTO`s 146 member countries in Cancun, Mexico, opening Sept. 10.
Bureau Report