Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher said developed members of the WTO are moving fast on the trade facilitation agreement, but the pace of negotiations on the food security issue and the matter of least developed countries is slow.
"As far as TFA follow-up is concerned, discussions are going well, but I am afraid that the discussion on rest of the issues relating to LDCs and FS issues, which India has championed along with G-33 and several other developing members, has not received the same attention as we have thought and therefore we are very closely observing what is happening in the WTO," he told reporters here.
Kher said India has communicated its concern to other WTO members in Geneva.
"We have raised this issue many times and we would like to see that all issues under Bali Ministerial decision are given adequate weight, concentration and the membership solve all of them in the same breadth," he added.
The Trade Facilitation Agreement is being pushed by the US and other developed world as they seek to bolster their sagging economies through an unhindered international trade by way of a uniform and easy procedures at customs.
"There is strong desire among the developing countries particularly LDCs (least developed countries) that the pace of work on the two issues should be the same as it is for TFA. In terms of trying to achieve a single undertaking on all the issues.
On the food security issue, he said although a protection has been given to India and other countries which have implemented similar schemes, "we are very keen and eager that we should work towards finding a permanent solution".
"Our request to the (WTO) membership has been that let there be a clear decision on a pathway of work for finding a permanent solution. We propose to intensify our actions in the coming days...A permanent solution will give certainty and predictability," he said.
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