Pessimism over WTO date


20 March 2000



Pessimism over WTO date


EU trade ministers have agreed to persevere with attempts to launch a comprehensive full-scale round of world trade talks soon.

But they hold out little hope of rapid progress.

Some ministers doubt whether it is politically possible for the USA to take part before the presidential elections in November, reports the Financial Times

It was also agreed that there must be a shift in bargaining positions held by other World Trade Organisation members.

Talks have been deadlocked since the collapse of the WTO ministerial meeting in Seattle in December.

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