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No talk of breakthrough as key trade talks loom
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 02 - 03 - 2007


Key trade ministers meet in
London at the weekend under growing pressure to reach a deal in
global free trade talks, but diplomats warned today against
expecting a breakthrough.
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab, European Union Trade
Commissioner Peter Mandelson, Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso
Amorim and India's Trade Minister Kamal Nath will hold separate
bilateral discussions, following the approach adopted in recent
talks among their senior officials.
"Several more meetings at all levels will be required before
we can talk of breakthroughs," Reuters quoted one senior EU official as saying.
It will be the first time that the four, who have been
taking the lead in the search for common ground, have met since
the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreed in late January to
relaunch its Doha round of trade liberalisation negotiations
after a six-month suspension.
The negotiations, dogged by deep divisions over agricultural
trade, were halted by WTO chief Pascal Lamy because he saw no
way at the time of bridging the gaps.
Lamy says the WTO has a brief window of opportunity to
secure agreement on a blueprint for a deal. If the chance is not
taken, the five-year-old round could collapse, undermining
confidence in the global trading system.
After the weekend, ministers will be in Geneva on Monday and
Tuesday to meet Lamy who is facing discontent in the 150-state
body that members are being kept in the dark about the progress, if any, that the major powers are making.
Business leaders in developed countries have become more
vocal in calling for a deal. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and
British Prime Minister Tony Blair have both spoken out strongly
in favour of a Doha accord.
Launched in late 2001, the WTO talks have been billed as a
once-in-a-generation chance to boost the global economy and help
lift millions out of poverty through trade.


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