Key WTO states open talks in Paris

Five key World Trade Organisation (WTO) members gathered for an informal meeting here Saturday in search of a fig leaf to hide persistent gaps that scuppered free trade talks in Mexico last year.
At the two-day meeting hosted by the Brazilian embassy, WTO trade representatives from Australia, Brazil, the European Union, India and the United States hope to reach a joint position on agricultural issues, among the biggest stumbling blocks to a round of talks that was launched in Doha in late 2001.
After an embarrassing breakdown in Cancun, Mexico last September, when emerging and developing countries refused to continue negotiations, the Doha round received a boost several months ago.
The EU - slammed for farm subsidies that critics say depress prices, undermining poor farmers trying to compete on world markets - declared it was prepared to eliminate such aid.
One condition, however, was that the EU's trade partners - particularly the United States - take similar steps to end their own support for farm exports.
The WTO now hopes its 147 member states can reach an understanding by the end of July on a framework for galvanising the talks, which are aimed at freeing up global trade.
But key issues remain unresolved, despite the efforts of EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, whose mandate expires at the end of October.
US trade envoy Robert Zoellick has also made encouraging public statements but is hobbled by the US presidential election that will determine whether he continues to play a role after November.
With chances of the current US administration making major concessions next to nil, the Doha round is headed for a hiatus until early 2005, barring what would amount to a miracle.
The only movement there so far has been Lamy's proposal to scrap EU subsidies, a condition demanded by WTO members led by emerging countries such as Brazil, China and India.
But the EU proposal supposes that the so-called G20 group of 20 emerging economies opens up its own farm markets, in addition to a serious effort on the part of the United States.
A session on agriculture to be held next week in Geneva has been put off because there is not enough time to find a consensus to draw up a text by the end of the month, according to a source close to the talks.