Trade policy changes must not come too quickly, says Irish archbishop

Published: 2005-12-15

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- The World Trade Organization conference in Hong Kong must not introduce trade policy changes too quickly, said an Irish archbishop. Archbishop Dermot Clifford of Cashel said that if proposals to end all agricultural subsidies and supports were introduced within a short time frame it "would impact negatively on Irish farmers and on rural Ireland and indeed on rural Europe." The archbishop said he does not believe that assisting poor farmers of the developing world and maintaining strong farming in Ireland and Europe are incompatible. Before the sixth World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Hong Kong Dec. 13-18, the Irish Commission for Justice and Social Affairs, an agency of the bishops' conference, issued a position paper, "Promoting Fairness of Trade: The Challenge to Eliminate Poverty," calling for an end to agricultural subsidies and tariffs. It said the WTO should work toward "the elimination of all forms of export support, which by definition can only be afforded by wealthier countries or economic blocs such as the U.S., Japan and the EU."

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