Commonwealth leaders yesterday issued a declaration calling on next month's World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong to reach agreement on the elimination of all forms of export subsidies by 2010 for the sake of developing countries.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who is chairing the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, described the hard-hitting statement on trade - the dominant theme of this year's meeting - as a "breakthrough".
Dr Gonzi said the statement, which is being issued separately from the tomorrow's end-of-summit communiqué, was intended to send a strong message to the Doha round of trade negotiations which reach a crucial stage in Hong Kong next month.
"We want the Doha round to be brought to a successful conclusion, with a rules-based and equitable trading system."
Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon heaped praise on Dr Gonzi for achieving the declaration, saying the Maltese prime minister was very skilful in bringing about this statement. "It is very difficult to do this with 52 countries," he said.
Mr McKinnon threw the gauntlet down at the EU's feet, saying there was a high expectation from Commonwealth members that the EU would do more than it has done so far in the trade debate and that sugar produces would be treated better.
And the declaration is no less blunt: "We note the offer on agriculture made by the US and express the hope that the European Union and others who maintain high levels of agricultural protection respond in the same spirit," and the leaders added that the EU should provide transitional financial arrangements to compensate Commonwealth sugar producers who risk being ruined by the Union's sugar importation reform.
"We define success in the Doha round to be the extent to which there are early and substantial dividends for all developing countries... However, we are deeply concerned about the pace of negotiations. We also believe that the outcome of the Doha round must be based on higher ambitions than are currently evident.
The also call on developed countries to demonstrate the courage to give more than they receive in this round of trade negotiations, particularly on agriculture, which they describe as the most distorted sector, and market access.
The declaration was hammered out in the retreat sessions over the past two days, though Dr Gonzi said the foreign ministers' pre-CHOGM meeting had allowed the leaders to focus on a limited number of issues - trade was one.
However, the prime minister said he hoped one or two other declarations would be issued by the time the summit draws to a close today. But it is unlikely that any statements will be forthcoming on Uganda, where human rights issues have been raised with the arrest of the Opposition Leader in recent days.
Mr McKinnon said: "As far as we are concerned the Uganda CHOGM will occur." He said a judicial process was under way and he was confident that it would continue.