WTO meeting postponed to allow time to resolve differences

A MEETING of world trade ministers in Geneva to agree an outline deal in global trade talks has been postponed.

It was expected the World Trade Organisation head Pascal Lamy would call the meeting for later this week. But he has now delayed that move to give member states more time to resolve remaining differences in the process.

Mr Lamy said depending on the outcome of these consultations a ministerial gathering could take place next week.

Last weekend the WTO published fresh texts in both the agriculture and industry components of a draft deal that were aimed at securing consensus.

But diplomats stressed many gaps still needed to be bridged to avoid yet another failure in the process, which has been given added urgency by the global economic slowdown.

Diplomats, questioned after a meeting with Lamy, said they were sceptical as to whether the ministerial meeting would take place.

Many pointed the finger at the United States, India and China whose positions they claimed had hardly altered since July.

The Doha round of talks, which started at the end of 2001 in the Qatari capital, aims to boost international commerce by removing trade barriers and subsidies.

France, current holders of the European Union presidency, said prospects for a trade deal were clouded by uncertainty, mainly over the US stance. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown insisted, however, that an accord was within reach.

The Irish Farmers Association has warned EU trade commissioner Baroness Ashton of Upholland not to pursue the policies of her predecessor Peter Mandelson.

Mr Mandelson’s negotiating stance during the talks, which collapsed in July, provoked angry protests by Irish farmers who accused him of pursuing an old British agenda to sell out their industry.

IFA president Padraig Walshe said the departure of Mr Mandelson presented the Commission with an opportunity for a fresh approach.