WTO ministers entered their final day of talks in Doha on Tuesday still deeply divided on the future of world trade, with delegates warning the conference could end with no accord.
Nothing has been settled, a conference source said, adding that world trade organization ministers were still haggling over wording in a final declaration that has gone through three or four revisions. The five-day meeting, being staged in a sumptuous gulf-side hotel in Doha in the Qatari capital, was called to approve an agenda for a new multilateral round of talks to lower trade barriers. Asked to evaluate the situation after a night of hard bargaining, a Solomon Islands delegate replied: “Not so good”.
Delegates from Mexico and Venezuela likewise reported that little headway had been made in overnight discussions in Doha. But Polish under secretary of state for the economy Jausz Kacurba struck a rare note of optimism.
My delegation certainly expects that we will have an agreement at the end of the day.
Bureau Report