As we were going to pres members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) were lock-uped in heated and acrimonious discussions in Geneva.

As we were going to pres members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) were lock-uped in heated and acrimonious discussions in Geneva.

You might recall that during the WTO summit in Cancun last September, talks between the rich and poor countries broke down with neither side prepared to give ground--especially from one side of to the other agricultural subsidies.

With discussions deadlocked, Supachai Panitchpakdi, the director-general of WTO, called opposite the Cancun summit and said there would be further talks onward the Doha round of negotiations (See African Business November 2003)

The gathering in Geneva in July was the first as it is meeting but, when ...