India to allow EU's Pak trade package to go through

[jdme]

India is about to sign FTA with EU.

 

[Pakistanisage]

Allow EU's Pak package to go through, says PM​

NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister yet again made a personal intervention to extend a significant unilateral concession to Pakistan, just a few days ahead of Independence Day.

Senior sources said PM Manmohan Singh has ordered officials to withdraw India's official opposition at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to a concessional trade package offered by the European Union to Pakistan.

According to sources, the decision to reverse India's year-old stand was at the behest of Singh, and came after more than half-a-dozen meetings of WTO general council where India opposed the trade package. They said Singh's order would be implemented soon.

India, supported by Bangladesh and Peru, mounted an opposition in the WTO to the package, challenging the unprecedented EU move. They also raised doubts if the concessions would at all benefit the flood affected people of Pakistan. If India withdraws its opposition, the other two will fall in line, giving WTO approval to the unprecedented package.

In the wake of last year's devastating floods in Pakistan, EU made the offer, which has had no precedent, to provide a concessional trade package to the textile industry of Pakistan. India led the challenge to the package in WTO.

When Pakistani foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar was in India recently, she raised the issue of Indian objections with authorities here. At the commerce secretary-level meetings, the issue has been figuring prominently. It is also expected to figure among the key agenda when the commerce ministers of both sides meet in Delhi next month.

The Indian stand was prompted by principles of free trade, and not any bilateral adversity, officials insisted. The barter of trade concessions for aid violates principles of free international trade, and sets dangerous precedents, India had argued in at least six rounds of WTO meetings. India said if EU wanted to provide aid to Pakistan, it was more than welcome to do it directly but not through trade diversion couched as trade concession.

EU made the unilateral tariff concessions to Pakistan at its summit in September 2010 for export of some 75 items. The year-long concession was expected to give Pakistan a gain of about $300 million, in terms of increase in exports of finished textile products, cotton, ethanol etc. The decision was prompted by assessments that showed that the floods reduced Pakistan's GDP by about 2% in the 2010-11 financial year.

However, sources said Singh's personal gesture will not go much beyond this for the time being. A senior official said they were still watching the progress made in investigations into the 26/11 case in Pakistan, cross-border terrorism and other factors of bilateral ties. For now, there would be a very cautionary approach, other than the reversal of the WTO stand, until the end of this summer, they said.

Allow EU's Pak package to go through, says PM - The Times of India

This is chump change. If India desires good relationship with Pakistan it needs to stop building dams on Pakistani rivers and stop stealing Pakistani water.

 

[jdme]

This is chump change. If India desires good relationship with Pakistan it needs to stop building dams on Pakistani rivers and stop stealing Pakistani water.

Lol at Pakistani rivers and Pakistani water.

 

[BATMAN]

Very very foolish move as it will directly affect many poor ones in India.

I disagree.

India is already the biggest receiver of European direct and indirect aid and that is in normal circumstances.

Many charity organizations from Europe are forced by US to support India.

India get aid in name of aids, lepracy, child support etc......... the lsit is long.

I quote one exampel:

SWISSAID - Development help in India Dalit SPMM

If Pakistan foreign policy would have been independent of Indian grip than they would have also went to press and highlighted discrimination in European aid.

 

[Farooq]

very nice gesture by the PM, but after reading the comments on TOI, I highly doubt there will ever be peace between India and Pakistan

 

[Roybot]

very nice gesture by the PM, but after reading the comments on TOI, I highly doubt there will ever be peace between India and Pakistan

Too many false flaggers in those places, never take comments sections on news websites/youtube seriously.

 

[SQ8]

However the move translates domestically.
I still think MMS the the bravest man to go against the hawks in his country and make such a bold move.

 

[Bhairava]

I disagree.

India is already the biggest receiver of European direct and indirect aid and that is in normal circumstances.

Many charity organizations from Europe are forced by US to support India.

India get aid in name of aids, lepracy, child support etc......... the lsit is long.

If Pakistan foreign policy would have been independent of Indian grip than they would have also went to press and highlighted discrimination in European aid.

Who stops you from getting "aid" from EU ? You don't even know what the hell you are talking about or why Indians oppose this move.

very nice gesture by the PM, but after reading the comments on TOI, I highly doubt there will ever be peace between India and Pakistan

Peace with Pakistan is desirable. But NOT at the cost of livelihood of our own people and that too lakhs of them. Is it very hard to understand ?

 

[jdme]

I disagree.

India is already the biggest receiver of European direct and indirect aid and that is in normal circumstances.

Many charity organizations from Europe are forced by US to support India.

India get aid in name of aids, lepracy, child support etc......... the lsit is long.

I quote one exampel:

SWISSAID - Development help in India Dalit SPMM

If Pakistan foreign policy would have been independent of Indian grip than they would have also went to press and highlighted discrimination in European aid.

Could you give us the number from both India and Pakistan? My google is acting up.

 

[Areesh]

Thank you Manmohan Singh. You are a great leader indeed.

 

[jdme]

However the move translates domestically.
I still think MMS the the bravest man to go against the hawks in his country and make such a bold move.

And that will do what? Make a fool out of him at the end? Nothing is going to change between India and Pakistan. Why put Indians at economic disadvantage for pointless gesture?

 

[Punjabbi Munda]

Thank you Manmohan Singh. You are a great leader indeed.

It has not happened as yet..lets wait and watch,MMS is a pathetic PM though!

 

[Bhairava]

And that will do what? Make a fool out of him at the end? Nothing is going to change between India and Pakistan. Why put Indians at economic disadvantage for pointless gesture?

Emotional atyachar for his land of birth

This "economic" PM who could not do ****'s worth in alleviating inflation, price rise that affects crores of Indians but is willing to help out the Pakistanis even at the cost of Indian garment manufacturers needs to go before he does something foolish with Kashmir.

 

[Areesh]

It has not happened as yet..lets wait and watch,MMS is a pathetic PM though!

But still I will appreciate this gesture. He is a great individual.

 

[Punjabbi Munda]

This step won't hurt Indians in any way whatsoever only it will benefit Pakistanis.
Lets see if i happens or not.

---------- Post added at 02:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:31 PM ----------

But still I will appreciate this gesture. He is a great individual.

Yeah Zardari is awesome as well.I thoroughly respect him