As for the proposals:
>No Patents on Life
The patenting of life forms must be prohibited in all national and
international regimes.
How do they plan to get around the Supreme Court's decision in Diamond vs. Chakravarty?
>There must be a
prohibition on export subsidies and other forms of dumping of agricultural
products, especially on third world countries.
Breaking up ADM and Cargill etc. seems like better targets to this dolt. The prohibitions would of course violate some nations' sovereignty.
>Special and Differential Treatment
Special and differential rights for third world countries must be
recognized, expanded, and operationalized in the world trading system. This
is to take into account the weak position of third world countries in the
international trading system. Without the enforcement of special and
differential rights, there can be no possibility of third world countries
benefitting from world trade.
This MUST be framed in terms of technology transfer in order to acheive greater specificity; but that leads back to the issue of subsidies. As a taxpayer I'm more than happy to send the South medical technology, water treatment facilities etc., instead of fighter planes and helicopters. Actually the above should be put in the form of restraints/obligations on the North; the buzzword being the democratization of the terms of trade.
>Take TRIPS Out: Restore National Patent Protection Systems
We demand the removal of the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights
Agreement (TRIPS) from the WTO. There is no basis for inclusion of
intellectual property claims in a trade agreement. Additionally, the TRIPS
agreement promotes monopoly by transnational corporations; prevents access
to essential medicines and other goods; leads to private appropriation of
knowledge and life forms; undermines biodiversity; and keeps poorer
countries from increasing their levels of social and economic welfare and
developing their technological capacity.
While they're at it, go after the WIPO and of course hang the twelve US CEO's who formed the Intellectual Property Committee that designed the TRIPS right before Punta del Este in '86.
>Democratize Decision-Making
People must have the right to self-determination and the right to know and
decide on international commercial commitments. Among other things, this
requires that decision-making processes in negotiations and enforcement at
international commercial bodies be democratic, transparent and inclusive.
The WTO operates in a secretive, exclusionary manner that shuts out most
third world country Members and the public. It is dominated by a few
powerful governments acting on behalf of their corporate elites.
Agree totally, but see Star Wars: The Phantom Menace [the Senate scene :)]
>Also, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the regional
development banks must write off 100% of the debts owed to them by poor
countries. The use of structural adjustment conditionality to force
trade liberalization in third world countries and elsewhere must be stopped.
This belongs in a statement condemming/shrinking/nixing the IMF/WB etc., as they are the ones doing the strong arming.
Ian
===========
>
> From what I could see the statement had quite a few endorsements,
> so it's not quite a proclamation from on high. apparently many
> were consulted as it was.
>
> Why should Dolan consult you, any more than you are obliged to
> consult him? I would take it as a draft proposal, put up for
> debate, not something etched in stone.
>
> Whatever its warts, wouldn't you see it as an attempt at
> a step forward?
>
> mbs
>