End game in sight for current round of world trade talks in Geneva

THE current round of world trade talks in Geneva, which pose a major threat to farming and agri business in Ireland, look set for an end game.

Diplomats said yesterday that World Trade Organisation (WTO) director-general Pascal Lamy had called for a group of ministers to meet, probably for several days, from July 21 to push the round toward conclusion.

The meeting would include 35 to 40 ministers representing a range of interests in the fractious negotiations about opening up agriculture, industry and services markets which Lamy is aiming to wrap up in 2008. If those ministers can successfully broker trade-offs in farming and manufacturing trade, diplomats said the basics of an accord could go to the WTO’s full membership as early as the end of July. Services would be discussed briefly by ministers and finalised later.