'G22' Developing Nations

By Mario Ritter
Broadcast: October 14, 2003
This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
In September, the World Trade Organization meeting in Cancun, Mexico, ended without an agreement. There was strong debate about payments to farmers in developed nations. More negotiations¹ are planned for December in Geneva.
At Cancun, the United States had proposed that major industrial nations reduce payments to farmers by seventy-six percent over five years. It also proposed they end all agricultural 1)subsidies² by two-thousand-fifteen. In return, the plan called for developing nations to lower taxes on imports and to open their markets to foreign investors³.
Developing nations formed a coalition⁴ called the Group of Twenty-two. They said rich nations were not willing to offer enough. After the talks ended, American Trade Representative Robert Zoellick said the United States would move toward free trade with "can-do countries." He criticized what he called "won't-do countries."
Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim told Newsweek magazine that the talks did not end because of agriculture. He says the meeting broke down over demands by wealthy nations to discuss rules for government purchasing, trade financing and competitiveness.
Brazil has been a major organizer of the group. China and India are also members. Others include 2)Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, 3)Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa.
But the group no longer has twenty-two members. Last week another Latin American country informed the others of its decision to leave. Costa Rica joined Colombia, Peru and El Salvador.
Each year, rich nations spend about three-hundred-thousand-million dollars on farm subsidies. Subsidies permit nations to reduce the price of their exports. This can force down prices on world markets.
At Cancun, African and 4)Caribbean nations objected to the subsidies for American cotton farmers. The farmers have high production costs. The government pays them more than three-thousand-million dollars a year.
The European Union pays large subsidies to keep its 5)agricultural products competitive. Japan places import taxes of up to one-thousand percent on foreign rice.
After Cancun, some experts say poor nations are in a better position to negotiate. Others, like the Brazilian foreign minister, say the talks were only part of a continuing process.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. This is Steve Ember.

注释：
1) subsidy⁵ [ 5sQbsidi ] n.补助金, 津贴
2) Argentina [ 7B:dVEn5ti:nE ] n.阿根廷(南美洲南部国家)
3) Nigeria [ nai5dViEriE ] n.尼日利亚(非洲中西部国家)
4) Caribbean [ kAri5bi(:)En ] n.加勒比海
5) agricultural products 农产品

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 subsidy   

n.补助金，津贴

参考例句：

• The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
• The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。