Canada, U.S. end trade row over softwood lumber

Canada and the United States on Saturday clinched a deal on the sidelines of World Trade Organization (WTO) talks, capping a long-standing trade row over softwood lumber.

Canadian Trade Minister David Emerson and U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab initialed the agreement on Saturday night following two months of talks.

Emerson said the deal would put an end to decades of "squabbling and trade wars" over softwood lumber and help to enhance border ties.

The lumber dispute began after U.S. authorities ruled that its northern neighbor dumped softwood on the American market.

The row has been festering since 2002, with the American lumber industry accusing Canada of wrongly subsidizing its softwood producers -- a charge Ottawa flatly denies.

Washington imposed anti-dumping and countervailing duties totaling more than 27 percent in May 2002 and Canada has been fighting to chop them ever since.

Numerous trade panels at both the WTO and under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have ruled on the case, sometimes in Canada's favor and other times, siding with the United States.

Source: Xinhua