Fed: Vaile breaks years of bipartisanship on trade policy

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Fed: Vaile breaks years of bipartisanship on trade policy

The federal government's overturned decades of bipartisan trade policy by backing anew focus on bilateral and regional deals.

Trade Minister MARK VAILE says the Doha round of world trade talks is still Australia'snumber one trade objective.

But he says bilateral and regional trade deals are needed to push the multilateral agenda.

The move's been immediately described by Labor as a dangerous path that could havethe same repercussions as the collapse of world trade during the Great Depression.

Foreign Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER and Mr VAILE have released the government's new tradeand foreign affairs white paper, the first since 1997.

Mr VAILE says the white paper signals a substantial change in government policy toa doctrine of competitive liberalisation.

Bilateral and regional trade deals will be used to pressure the Doha round of talks,while also picking up deals that may not be available at the multilateral level.

AAP RTV sw/sb/smb/rpK

KEYWORD: TRADE (CANBERRA)