WTO farm talks falter

Week-long discussions on agricultural trade have failed to reconcile the world’s rich and poor countries who are still divided over a global trade deal.

Even the appearance of the two high-level negotiators, Europe’s Franz Fischler and US ambassador Allen Johnson, at the World Trade Organisation meeting could not shake members from their entrenched positions.

The WTO hosted five days of talks between its 146 members to break the deadlock that arose after a summit collapse in Cancun last September.

But while the arrival of a new chairman of the talks, New Zealand's Tim Groser, heralded a fresh mood in negotiations, delegations failed to enter “problem-solving mode” that he had called for at the beginning of the week.

Johnson was upbeat but confirmed they were still not at a stage where an accord could be drafted.

"We have a window between now and August. If we do not do it, it will be difficult later," Johnson said.

Mary Minch, the EU’s specialist in Geneva, said that delegations had finally moved on from restating their positions and had started listening to each other.

Delegations trampled over the same three topics, export subsidies, domestic support and market access – the latter proving the most problematic.

This round of talks was marked by countries talking among themselves in smaller groups rather than the usual, stilted sessions around a big table.

All parties agreed to push for a framework document to outline the direction of negotiations by July, but it will lack the all important numbers which lie at the heart of any deal.

If negotiations in Geneva fail then the WTO is staring failure in the face.

"This paper will be written in Geneva or it won't be written at all," said Groser.

There were underlying hints that slow progress was being made but much work is needed to heal the post-Cancun wounds.

Their next meeting will be on April 20-23 in Geneva.

• Previous article
• Next article