Poor nations cry shame at WTO talks

DEVELOPING nations cranked up pressure on the rich to open their long-protected markets as world trade talks floundered yesterday, while the US and Europe blamed each other for the deadlock.

As World Trade Organisation (WTO) nations haggled in Hong Kong, over 1,000 anti-globalisation protestors marched peacefully, but they promised a more aggressive demonstration today.

“Today our actions are peaceful ... tomorrow we will show a difference phase of this struggle to smash the WTO,” said Park Min-ung, general secretary of the Korean Peasants League, which represents South Korea’s four million farmers.