Call to Action – 19. June 2007, 12:00 -12:30 am

 No Deal in Potsdam: End WTO’s Corporate Trade Agenda!

Dear friends,Dear WTO activists for an alternative trade policy!
In a few days the representatives from the G4 group in the WTO (EU, USA, Brazil and India) during an informal meeting in Potsdam from 19. – 23. June 2007 will try to achieve a breakthrough in the stalling WTO negotiations. In international trade diplomacy this G4 meeting is regarded as particularly important – as the G4 could broker agreement on some of the outstanding and controversial issues and prepare a WTO framework deal.

We want to protest against this undemocratic, informal “green room” meeting! The meeting which will be hold in the Schlosshotel Cecilienhof in Potsdam excludes most of WTO members and threatens to push forward the notorious WTO corporate trade agenda. People from all over the world campaign for fair international trade policy that puts people over profit instead of accepting the intransparent and undemocratic logic of WTO negotiations. We want democratically controlled trade policies that do not bend to global corporate interests but that promote the rights of the people for an environmentally sustainable and socially just development.

What is at stake?
WTO negotiations that started in 2001 have been in crises for several years now. In contrast to their public rhetoric proclamations of a “development round” industrialized countries are aiming at far reaching liberalisation and privatization policies in their corporate interests. These plans have been opposed by both developing countries and an international protest movement. This year some of the most powerful WTO members will try – through a series of illegitimate and informal meetings – to broker a deal with the most influencial governments in the South. Talks concentrate on an informal agreement in the most controversial issues agriculture and NAMA (non-agricultural market access). The rest of WTO members should subsequently swallow this framework deal in Geneva to bring the round to an end in 2007. Democracy, development and the environment would be loosing out under such a deal.

    Supported by:

        * AG Handel des Forum Umwelt & Entwicklung
        * Aktionsnetzwerk Globale Landwirtschaft
        * Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft
        * attac WTO AG
        * Gerechtigkeit Jetzt!
        * Via Campesina
        * WEED

    What is planned?
     
    1. Protest with giant puppets in front of the G4 venue
     
    Time:    Tuesday, 19. June 2007, 12:00 – 12:30 am
    Place:   Am Neuen Garten, Driveway to car park at the Schlosshotel Cecilienhof
     
    *** Please be there at 11:45 already! ***
     

        * WTO activites from the Global South and Europe call on the G4 for fair and democratic trade rules
        * Creative and public giant puppet action
        * Distribution of information on our WTO critic
        * Getting together of activists from North and South

         
    How to get there?
     
From Potsdam central Station take Tram 92 or 96 direction „Kirschallee“ respective „Viereckeremise“ and get out at "Reiterweg/Alleestraße", continue with Bus line 692 and get out at "Schloss Cecilienhof”.
     
     
    Contact for further information (V.i.S.d.P.):
     
    World Economy, Ecology & Development (WEED)
    Klaus Schilder, klaus.schilder@weed-online.org, mobile +49 177 4341642
    Benjamin Nourney, benjamin.nourney@weed-online.org, mobile +49 1577 1533404
    

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