The 33 countries from the Forum of East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) on Thursday called for a fast and satisfactory conclusion of the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
At the closing of the ministerial group meeting on Thursday, Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and South Korea's Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon, told the press that the forum ratified its goals to defend multilateralism and a more fair international economic order.
The group approved the Brasilia Declaration, a 30-point document in which the countries reaffirm their interest in improving the multilateral trade system for their benefit and highlighted their growing concerns in the face of globalization challenges.
The Doha Round has been suspended since July of 2006, although in the past weeks diplomatic efforts have opened understanding of contrary positions held by industrialized countries and emerging countries have urged the European Union and the United States to stop their agricultural subsidies.
New talks are foreseen for September in Geneva, where the formal negotiations of the so-called Development round could be opened.
After the two-day meeting, Argentina and Japan assumed the role of the Forum's coordinator, formerly held by Brazil and South Korea.
Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana highlighted the Dominican Republic's admission to the Forum in Brasilia and said Haiti, Surinam and Guyana are expected to join it soon, after these countries attended the meeting as guests.
The FEALAC was founded in Chile's capital Santiago on March 30, 2001, when the first meeting of the foreign ministers from East Asia and Latin America was held. It now groups 18 countries from Latin America and 15 from East Asia.
Source: Xinhua
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