|
Shri Kamal Nath, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, began a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meet in Davos, starting with a bilateral with Mr. James Peterson, the Canadian Minister for International Trade last evening. They decided on the setting up of a Joint Study Group (JSG) at the official level to look into the possibility of a comprehensive economic partnership between Canada and India. In a significant move, the Canadian Minister indicated that Canada was keen on looking at India as a stepping stone to the SAARC and ASEAN regions and in turn invited India to use Canada as a base for entering the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA). Shri Kamal Nath invited the Canadian Minister to visit India. In response, Mr. Peterson agreed to come to India with a delegation of 300 Canadian business representatives in April 2005. Shri Kamal Nath also had a meeting yesterday with Mr. Peter Mandelson, Trade Commissioner of the European Union (EU).
Shri Kamal Nath is scheduled to have separate meetings today with Mr. Robert Zoellick, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and with Mr. Pascal Lamy, former EU Trade Commissioner and one of the candidates for the post of Director General/World Trade Organisation (WTO). He will also hold bilaterals during the day with the Trade Ministers of Korea, the Netherlands, Germany and Chile.
|
