As global trade talks entered their second day in Cancun, the combined forces of the assembled world business community threw their support behind the WTO process and warned against expecting unrealistic outcomes.
An ICC delegation, compris
ing companies and business associations from 25 different countries, mounted a campaign to encourage government negotiators to continue the "hard work of multilateral trade liberalization" and not be distracted by the noise of protestors and minority interest groups.
"There is too much at stake here," ICC Secretary General, Maria Livanos Cattaui told a press conference. "Governments need to be left alone to get on with the very difficult work of finding agreement among 146 nations on the terms with which we will give shape to the emerging system of rules-based multilateral trade
"Grandstanding, posturing and headline grabbing antics might play well in the media, but they will do little to advance these talks - and, by extension, they will do even less to make a positive difference in the lives of world's people who need it most."
Mrs Cattaui warned there was a danger of expecting more from the Cancun talks than they could deliver.
"What we need to keep in mind is that these talks are only a waystation - a stocktaking exercise," she said. "They were only ever convened so governments could set the framework for future negotiations. While we obviously need to see progress in the agreement of those frameworks, we should not get too obsessed with wanting to see definitive outcomes here in Cancun."
Tom Niles, president of the United States Council for International Business, ICC's US affiliate, called for a reorientation of the terms of the current trade debate.
"Part of the problem is that the language we are using in these talks is fundamentally flawed," he said. "We talk about trade concessions, when what they really are is trade opportunities. Every single measure which is undertaken by any country - developed or developing - which further liberalizes their markets can only lead to economic growth."
Mr Niles added that the prevailing tendency to a "mercantalist" attitude among countries was also not constructive.
"We still tend to think generally that exports are good and imports are bad - this is outdated thinking."
The ICC business delegation in Cancun comprises some 100 international business people from a variety of industry sectors.
For further information on ICC, or to see its policy statement for the Cancun ministerial meeting, visit:
www.iccwbo.org
Journalists in Cancun wishing to contact members of the ICC delegation for interview should contact ICC Director of Communications, Bryce Corbett - tel: 998 107 6908.