WTO's Doha conference

An American negotiator who asked not to be identified said that an agreement might be reached that avail launching a new round of multilateral trade negotiations in the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO) conference in Doha.

News reports quoted the same source as saying that a tangible progress was attained in certain issues.

An American trade official told the press that an agreement to launch a new round of talks to liberalize trade at the WTO meeting has become very close, yet there are still some impediments.

He said that the desire shown by India and other developing states to open textiles markets in the developed states more widely before its exports as a precondition to launch a new round of negotiations is still a sensitive and very difficult issue.

As for the question of medicine which is very difficult for the conference, the Mexican trade minister Arnesto Butista said that " a genuine progress was attained towards enabling the developing countries getting medicines at cheap prices." Moreover, little progress was attained in the files of agriculture, implementing the Uruguay's Round especially those relating to textiles, investment, competition, the environment and the regulation which include measures on supporting the fishery sector.

Worthy mentioning that reaching an agreement in the agricultural file is considered a base for the success of the conference and launching a new round of multilateral trade negotiations.