Agence France Presse | July 18, 2003
The World Trade Organisation on Friday published an initial draft of key decisions that ministers will need to make at an upcoming meeting in Mexico to revive stalled global trade talks.
The outline text released just under two months before the Cancun meeting is described by its authors as "somewhat skeletal" in nature and covers 23 areas of the Doha trade talks, according to a copy obtained by AFP.
But it stresses that none of the points have been agreed by the members.
"It (the text) does not purport to represent agreement in whole or in part, and is without prejudice to any delegation's position on any issue," the draft text said.
WTO members launched the so-called Doha round of trade liberalisation talks in Doha, Qatar in November 2001 and it is due to be completed by January 1, 2005.
But, said the draft text's authors Carlos Perez del Castillo, chairman of the WTO's ruling general council, and WTO Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi, the "somewhat skeletal nature of this first draft is a reflection of the reality of our present situation".
The points include the highly sensitive area of agriculture, considered by many as key to the overall success of the three-year trade negotiations, where members have been too divided so far to meet deadlines.
But the draft text lays down as an objective that ministers will agree so-called modalities, or the targets for reducing subsidies and opening up markets in the farming sector, at the September 10-14 Cancun meeting.
WTO members missed the original end-of-March deadline.Agence France Presse:
