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TOKYO, May 12, 2008 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- As the world food crisis is intensifying, the long dormant Council on Rice Trade Cooperation (CRTC), which last met six years ago, may convene in the coming months to confer on rice production and trade to meet the global demand as concerns regarding the world food crisis have intensified, Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said Saturday.

Speaking during an official visit to Japan, Mr Noppadon that the CRTC members -- China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand, the world's largest rice exporter, will "probably" meet in the next two to three months.

He said CRTC country ministers last met in October 2002 and the time is right to meet again.

Reiterating that the rice council will not operate "OPEC-style", Mr Noppadon said that CRTC members will exchange information on rice production, each country's efficiency in rice production and assistance which could be given to rice producing nations.

"What we would do is just opposite to the criticism of some foreign countries. We don't want to aggravate the world food crisis," Mr Noppadol said, "but we're responsible for solving the crisis."

Mr Noppadon's latest comments were made after envoys of the CRTC countries as well as Myanmar, Asia's former primary rice exporter, met him in Bangkok on Tuesday and discussed Thailand's readiness to host such a meeting.

(TNA-OANA)

(C) 2008 Asia Pulse Pte Ltd

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