"I'm disappointed by the position of many of the countries in the so-called G-21. These nations, many of which have widely divergent economic goals for their individual nations, seek additional cuts in domestic subsidies but many of them are unwilling to open their own agricultural markets.
"Since the start of these negotiations, the United States has clearly indicated a willingness to eliminate domestic subsidies for agriculture. But success at Cancun is a shared responsibility. It can't be a one-way street whereby the United States agrees to eliminate subsidies but the rest of the world does nothing. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over trade policy in the U.S. Senate, I won't support such a result. We need to see substantial market access for our agricultural products and commitments from other nations, especially the European Union and Brazil, to eliminate agricultural subsidies as well.
"What I find most disturbing is that some of the nations that have aligned themselves with the G-21 position, such as Colombia, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Morocco, Thailand, Egypt, Guatemala, and South Africa, are seeking to deepen their relationship with the United States through the negotiation of free trade agreements, but are resisting opening their own markets in agricultural trade. This makes me question their commitment to free trade and their interest in pursuing the strong market access commitments required to conclude free trade agreements with the United States."