Bangladesh votes against Pakistan in WTO

[Zabaniyah]

So what is Khaleda's stand in this issue?

Nothingness.

 

[Guest01]

Nothingness.

Lol, she is trying to save 4.3 Billion Euros annual export revenue. That is a whole load of nothingness then

 

[livingdead]

Nothingness.

Hypothetically speaking, if Khaleda was PM, do you think she would have supported pakistan?

 

[Secret Service]

unexpected...but i am sure there are no wrong intentions.

 

[Zabaniyah]

Lol, she is trying to save 4.3 Billion Euros annual export revenue. That is a whole load of nothingness then

Well, it's not like we'd lose it all in case Pakistan is given access. I'd support healthy competition.

One AL man stated that Pakistan "does not deserve such..."

I'd love to know what he meant by "deserve". These people don't take any responsibility for what they say.

Khan said Bangladesh has been vehemently opposing Pakistan's plea for attaining the GSP over the last few years because Pakistan does not deserve such kind of duty preferences from the EU. The export of Bangladesh to the EU has been maintaining high for preferential duty treatment.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=205192

Hypothetically speaking, if Khaleda was PM, do you think she would have supported pakistan?

She'd be indifferent to the issue.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

yes i guess... Pakistan in WTO would have hurt Bangladesh's textile industry so it was logical and understandable move....

Lets see how valuable this vote would be... if more nations didn't object.. i guess objection of one or two nations shouldn't be a great concern?

its not about the WTO membership but the proposals pertaining to special treatment by EU, that contradict the WTO rules
the EU was of the view that in order to help Pakistan due to devastating floods in the past years it would give some relief to its trade barriers and levies but Bangladesh objected because in its view that affects its own export.

so the matter has been put on halt until those concerns are addressed or the offer withdrawn.
nothing wrong with Bangladesh's objection here they did out of their national interest.

as it happens some of us will remember that whenever Bangladesh is hit with another Tsunami. Pakistan government and its people have been very generous throughout the years whenever there were floods in Bangladesh I guess Indians will be more than happy to fill in that gap.

but I don’t think all Pakistanis will abandon Bangladeshis due to this decision. we paid for even Indian and Sri Lanken hostages in addition to Bengalis if I am not mistaken when Ansar Barni led the campaign to free the Somali hostages.

Why should we give up being helpful in the time of need just because the Bangladesh government doesn’t feel morally obliged to give a small relief to Pakistan?

By the way lets not ignore the Indian support in this regard. I have personally stood and collected money for India during the earth quick in India few years back so I guess it would be fine if I rather contribute towards my immediate neighbours.

Lol, she is trying to save 4.3 Billion Euros annual export revenue. That is a whole load of nothingness then

the EU relief was not meant to slice off the 4.3 Billion as you put it. but itself the relief was very small and not even a fraction to this number.

but every cent and penny counts as they say so Bangladesh did what it did and no one can fault that. no one can even fault their protest if Pakistan blocks or opposes anything in the future that is meant to be benificial to Bangladesh.

 

[Guest01]

Well, it's not like we'd lose it all in case Pakistan is given access. I'd support healthy competition.

One AL man stated that Pakistan "does not deserve such..."

I'd love to know what he meant by "deserve". These people don't take any responsibility for what they say.

Source: Bangladesh to oppose Pakistan's GSP plea to the EU

What makes you say that Bangladesh will not lose it all? With the reduced prices, why would the importers in EU not get everything from Pakistan specially when there is idle capacity lying around? This is quite simplistic view to be honest. If you support healthy competition then there is more reason for the duty waiver not being granted!

 

[Guest01]

its not about the WTO membership but the proposals pertaining to special treatment by EU, that contradict the WTO rules
the EU was of the view that in order to help Pakistan due to devastating floods in the past years it would give some relief to its trade barriers and levies but Bangladesh objected because in its view that affects its own export.

so the matter has been put on halt until those concerns are addressed or the offer withdrawn.
nothing wrong with Bangladesh's objection here they did out of their national interest.

as it happens some of us will remember that whenever Bangladesh is hit with another Tsunami. Pakistan government and its people have been very generous throughout the years whenever there were floods in Bangladesh I guess Indians will be more than happy to fill in that gap.

but I don’t think all Pakistanis will abandon Bangladeshis due to this decision. we paid for even Indian and Sri Lanken hostages in addition to Bengalis if I am not mistaken when Ansar Barni led the campaign to free the Somali hostages.

Why should we give up being helpful in the time of need just because the Bangladesh government doesn’t feel morally obliged to give a small relief to Pakistan?

By the way lets not ignore the Indian support in this regard. I have personally stood and collected money for India during the earth quick in India few years back so I guess it would be fine if I rather contribute towards my immediate neighbours.



the EU relief was not meant to slice off the 4.3 Billion as you put it. but itself the relief was very small and not even a fraction to this number.

but every cent and penny counts as they say so Bangladesh did what it did and no one can fault that. no one can even fault their protest if Pakistan blocks or opposes anything in the future that is meant to be benificial to Bangladesh.

Bro, a supplier when having a 20% competitive commercial edge with idle capacity will anyway blanket the market even when (and if) it was not meant so. You have seen the chinese goods flooding the international market.

I would say that it is unfortunate that the waiver was designed in this manner. It would have meant that it is not EU which is funding the aid but actually another country/ies which are exporting to EU who would have funded this aid to Pakistan. If EU would have really wanted to fund the aid, they would have brought in a transfer pricing mechanism where they would have not offered any duty concession to any country but rather would have provided aid to the tune of 20% of the duty (via goods because it is anyway transfer pricing) to Pakistan of their total imports of the 61 items on the list that was proposed.

You got to read the bolded part of my response again. EU is not funding the aid in the current case as the waiver has been proposed. Funny are the ways of economics as you can see.

 

[kobiraaz]

Ehem, i don't know what Khaleda would do... I don't have any problem with this decision taken by BD govt. I don't want to please Pakistanis either... But there is manner in diplomacy.. You can always play safe.... The way this decision was taken by BD and the way it is published in media, its bad for our relationship..... There is always option for intra-talk, i do believe Khaleda has good link with Pakistan, and it would not be difficult for her to neutralize pakistan's interest through diplomacy...

some years ago, in the same manner Bangladesh refused to play in pakistan. It did hurt me.... It was harsh.. I do believe bangladesh cricket board, under Zia's regime would take different approach for our player's safety......

And about my last post, on Hasina's part, its true she takes advice from Delhi for everything... If India wants to help pakistan so much, then please tell mms to make a phone call to hasina

 

[Devil Soul]

Bangladesh may withdraw complaint over EU help for Pakistan
By Reuters
Published: November 9, 2011
ADDU CITY, MALDIVES: Bangladesh is considering withdrawing a complaint about a European move to grant beneficial import conditions to Pakistani textile makers as an aid measure following Pakistan’s floods last year, a senior Bangladeshi official said on Wednesday.
Europe and Pakistan had expected a long-announced plan for trade preferences for Pakistani textile makers to be approved during a meeting of trade diplomats in Geneva this week, but a Bangladeshi complaint halted the move.
Pakistan was being granted the beneficial import conditions to its textile makers as an aid measure following devastating floods in the South Asian country last year.
Bangladeshi officials said their Pakistani counterparts had “unofficially” raised the matter on the sidelines of an ongoing South Asian leaders’ summit on this remote Maldivian atoll.
“I will check with Geneva … as far as I know we are supposed to withdraw this (complaint),” Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes told Reuters.
“There has been some informal discussion on this here with the Pakistani officials,” he said. “They have asked us unofficially about it and we have told them we are checking and will get back to them. So discussions are on to find out a way.”
Islamabad called Dhaka’s objections to the beneficial import conditions for its textile makers “an accident”.
“Of course, we are very concerned about it. We have been conveyed by them that it was at best an accident,” Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s foreign minister, told Reuters.
Bangladesh had concerns about the impact of the European measures, which would make it easier for Pakistan to export textiles to Europe. Bangladesh competes with Pakistan for textiles sales to the European market.
The two-year cut in tariffs offered by the EU would be a small boost for Pakistan’s exporters.
World Trade Organization rules say the same deal must be offered to all trade partners, so by making an exception for Pakistan, the EU needs to get all WTO members on side and any one country can block the deal.
Until recently India, Pakistan’s neighbour and rival, had objected to the European plan, effectively vetoing it. But as tensions between the two traditional South Asian enemies have eased, India signalled it no longer opposed the plan.
Earlier it was reported that Bangladesh had thwarted a European attempt to grant beneficial import conditions to Pakistani textile makers as an aid measure following Pakistan’s devastating floods last year.
Europe and Pakistan had expected a long-announced plan for trade preferences for Pakistani textile makers to be approved during a meeting of trade diplomats in Geneva on Monday, but a Bangladeshi complaint effectively halted it.
“A meeting took place yesterday in Geneva. Bangladesh made a short statement saying that they have some concerns,” said a diplomat in Brussels who is familiar with the talks.
Another said Bangladesh had concerns about the impact of the European measures, which would make it easier for Pakistan to export textiles to Europe. Bangladesh competes with Pakistan for textiles sales to the European market.
The two year cut in tariffs offered by the EU would be a small boost for Pakistan’s exporters.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Bro, a supplier when having a 20% competitive commercial edge with idle capacity will anyway blanket the market even when (and if) it was not meant so. You have seen the chinese goods flooding the international market.

I would say that it is unfortunate that the waiver was designed in this manner. It would have meant that it is not EU which is funding the aid but actually another country/ies which are exporting to EU who would have funded this aid to Pakistan. If EU would have really wanted to fund the aid, they would have brought in a transfer pricing mechanism where they would have not offered any duty concession to any country but rather would have provided aid to the tune of 20% of the duty (via goods because it is anyway transfer pricing) to Pakistan of their total imports of the 61 items on the list that was proposed.

You got to read the bolded part of my response again. EU is not funding the aid in the current case as the waiver has been proposed. Funny are the ways of economics as you can see.

looks like that might be a way out, there is a lot EU can provide in terms of transport and infrastructure development be it training or be it technology that doesn’t seem unfair to Bangladesh or Egypt or any other country for that matter but this barter (transfer pricing as you put it) might be easier said than done given what the EU might be willing to provide and the vision and priorities of the Pakistani government. the most likely agreement can be regarding cheap renewable energy production since the country has chronic power shortage again it will be down to political haggling and possible opposition by another country.

In the end EU has to look into its own interests as well. if any possible deal will result in a huge diplomatic headache due to Indian and/ or Bangladeshi opposition then this whole initiate will go in the cold storage.

 

[Hyde]

Bangladesh may withdraw complaint over EU help for Pakistan

Bangladesh is considering withdrawing a complaint about a European move to grant beneficial import conditions to Pakistani textile makers as an aid measure following Pakistan's floods last year, a senior Bangladeshi official said on Wednesday.

Full news & Source: Bangladesh may withdraw complaint over EU help for Pakistan | World | Reuters

 

[Avisheik]

Well i think pakistan should get the EU help, But only for a certain period of time(like around 6-8 months), to help pakistanis get back to their feet.

However, Pakistan should understand that Garments industry is one of the key industries in bd, without it development of bd will be very low. Thus if EU tries to continue the aid after a period of time, bd should object.

 

[Kaniska]

Bro, if you see the bottom of it then it is only incidentally anti-Pakistani. In true sense it is only an member state simply asking for no special treatment to another member state. For the economic order to move ahead, it is a must that true competencies drive the competitive edge rather than unilateral concessions. Bangladesh could have agreed to this move even when at least there was a transfer pricing mechanism derived to absorb the savings of the Pakistani textile exporters, but what was proposed by the EU unilateral waiver was actually an out and out tariff discrimination for Pakistan. And there is no shame in calling that unfair and unacceptable.

Bro...I agree with you....but my point is why to advocate for BD when we are not getting any benefit...And in this context... India sud be happy that for supporting this move Pak is extending MFN status which was due since more than 10 year..
And another aspect is that if you guys vigorously justify it.....then it will be the same story...BD will always take an excuse that India might have facilitated this entire episode....which is what is not desirable...I believe it would have more prudent if India wud have tried to facilitate with BD to support Pakistan publicly to vote in its favour...It would have resulted in exposing BD for its duplicity in maintaining double standard wrt relation with india....and i think India missed this opportunity....

 

[livingdead]

Bangladesh may withdraw complaint over EU help for Pakistan

Bangladesh is considering withdrawing a complaint about a European move to grant beneficial import conditions to Pakistani textile makers as an aid measure following Pakistan's floods last year, a senior Bangladeshi official said on Wednesday.

Full news & Source: Bangladesh may withdraw complaint over EU help for Pakistan | World | Reuters

Will be interesting to know bangladeshi members'( who claimed the refusal on advice of delhi) view on the about turn.
Change of heart in Dhaka?
Change of strategy in delhi, followed by a phone call?