Disappointment at Potsdam

Abstract

SIR – Your leader on the Doha round did the negotiations a disservice by joining Susan Schwab, America's trade representative, in her disingenuous attack on India (and Brazil, to a lesser degree) as the cause of the failure of the summit in Potsdam between the United States, the European Union, Brazil and India (―Potsdam's price‖, June 30th). The breakdown at Potsdam was America's fault, not India's. Ms Schwab offered to lower the ceiling on America's distorting agricultural subsidies to $17 billion. As America currently spends only about $11 billion, a ceiling of $17 billion would actually allow it to raise its subsidy level in the future.