Tempers fray as WTO talks rumble on without result

[papau]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1504&ncid=1504&e=7&u=/afp/20040729/ts_afp/wto_trade_talks_040729161958

Tempers fray as WTO talks rumble on without result

GENEVA (AFP) - Frustration began to show at the World Trade Organisation as members waited for a draft proposal on reviving global trade talks, which was delayed by marathon debates between five key players.

With a Friday night deadline looming to reach a consensus on multi-billion dollar questions surrounding agriculture and other contentious trade issues, little concrete progress was evident after more than two days of high-level talks in Geneva among the WTO's 147 member states. <snip>

The so-called Five Interested Parties (FIPs) insisted their input (on farm topics) would greatly help to produce an accord, but the apparent exclusiveness of their debate and the delay it triggered infuriated other delegations. <snip>

Underscoring the frustration felt by other members of the WTO, however, 27 countries including Japan, China and Mexico have complained that the five were slowing the whole process ahead of Friday's deadline. <snip>

Further highlighting the tough negotiations that remain, African nations indicated they may refuse to sign the overall accord unless proper significance is attached to their concerns about subsidies paid to cotton producers in rich countries, mainly the United States. <snip>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=530&ncid=530&e=16&u=/ap/20040729/ap_on_bi_ge/wto_trade_talks

WTO Proposal Delayed As Nations Struggle

Thu Jul 29, 8:20 AM ET
By SAM CAGE, Associated Press Writer

GENEVA - A new proposal on the framework of a world trade treaty was delayed Thursday as ministers and diplomats struggled to bridge the divide between rich and poor nations over farm trade negotiations