EU against India benefitting from LDC package

HONG KONG, Dec 15 (UNI): The European Union today rejected the demand from India and Brazil to include the developing countries in the "Development Package (DP)"being worked out for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) with a view to arriving at some positive outcome from the WTO Ministerial Conference here.

However, the US said the package would focus on the LDCs but would not remain exclusive to them.

A part of the package like the "Aid for Trade" would be extended to the developing countries as well.

The assertions were made by EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and US Trade Representative Rob Portman in their separate press conferences.

"The Development Package will be for the LDCs," Mandelson said when asked specifically whether it would include developing countries like India and Brazil.

Portman, on the other hand, left a room open for the developing countries as well.

"The Development Package will be primarily for the LDCs but would not be exclusive to them," he said.

There are about 50 LDC members of the WTO accounting for one-third of the total membership of 150.

Countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Zambia would be the main beneficiaries of the DP being finalised at the Ministerial Conference.

Portman, however, made it clear that the Duty-Free-Quota-Free (DFQF) component of the package would not include textile and apparel products from Bangladesh since their number and value has increased and they are globally competitive.

Textile accounts for 75 per cent of the total exports from Bangladesh.

He said the US would not make a commitment (in regard to providing DFQF to textile from Bangladesh) which it cannot keep.

Besides, in the wake of the competitiveness of the Bangladesh textile products, it would be difficult for the US administration to get popular support for this idea.

Asked whether the DP for the LDCs would lead to a division among the developing world, Portman said some of the emerging developing countries like India and Brazil have themselves offered to help the LDCs in the technical capacity.

This, he said, would mean less responsibility on the advanced nations to help the LDCs.

Narayana Murthy, Mittal among World's Most Admired CEOs NEW YORK, Dec 15 (UNI): Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy and steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal figure on a list of the World's Most AdmiredChief Executives for 2005 headed by Microsoft chief Bill Gates.

Murthy is ranked eighth on the 15-strong list while Mittal comes at No.15.

The list, the result of a new global study conducted by global public relations company Burson-Marsteller with the Economist Intelligence Unit, has Apple CEO Steve Jobs at No.2 and another computer man Michael Dell at No.4.

There are no women CEOs on the list dominated by company founders.

Under the study, more than 600 global business influentials in 65 countries were asked to name whom they admired most in the business world today.

American investor Warren Buffett is placed third and flamboyant British businessman Richard Branson of Virgin Group takes the fifth place.

Media magnate Rupert Murdoch is placed below India's Narayana Murthy at No.10.

Nokia CEO Jorma Ollila is ranked No.13.

The others on the list are British Petroleum CEO John Browne (No.6), Nissan Motor and Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn (No.7), General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt (No.9), HSBC Holdings CEO John Chambers (No.12) and Tesco CEO Terry Leahy (No.14).

Eight of the top 15 leaders are company founders and all of the global most admired are insider CEOs (CEOs who have been with the company for three years or more).

"Business decision-makers clearly voted for long-term performance and proven track record than fleeting success," says Patrick Ford of Burson-Marsteller.

Despite the predominance of American companies among the top four most admired CEOs, more than half represent other regions, like the UK (4) and India (1).

Mittal is considered among the UK CEOs.

Burson-Marsteller had last week acquired Genesis, India's leading public relations firm.