WTO talks again hit a roadblock

The World Trade Organisation’s Doha Round negotiations on cutting barriers to global commerce appeared in trouble as talks on the key farm...

The World Trade Organisation’s Doha Round negotiations on cutting barriers to global commerce appeared in trouble as talks on the key farm and goods tariff dossiers were reported in blockage.

Only hours after a gloomy account emerged of industrial goods discussions over the past week, the chairman of the effort to shape a farm trade pact said there were still big gaps between countries with little movement on central issues. “Too many variables, with positions too wide apart” for any compromise to be in sight, and “scarcely anywhere in negotiating terms” were how the chairman, New Zealand’s WTO ambassador Crawford Falconer, summed up

aspects of the talks.

On Friday, the ambassador steering the goods talks — Canada’s envoy Don Stephenson — voiced similar frustration, as trade sources said days of discussion had shown no sign of closing the huge gap between developed and developing countries.

Story continues below this ad

Stephenson, according to the sources, told negotiators that he no longer wanted to hear them simply repeating their positions when a new session on goods tariffs starts on June 4.

Both chairmen are due to present in July a formal draft text for a final agreement in the two cornerstone areas, to provide a basis for an effort, which will go up to ministerial level, to try to rescue the overall round.

“Things are looking rather gloomy all over at this stage,” said one source close to the negotiations.