The development aid charity Oxfam International on Thursday accused rich countries of undermining global trade talks, as World Trade Organisation member states came under growing pressure to overcome deadlock by the end of next week.
Oxfam said in a report entitled "one Minute to Midnight" that a draft compromise the WTO presented last Friday neglected key issues for developing countries and was excessively influenced by rich trading powers.
"Developing countries are being put in the untenable position of having to choose either to agree to a watered down framework or to accept the blame for the collapse of the talks," said Celine Charveriat of Oxfam.
The 147 members are currently discussing the WTO proposal on the way ahead for talks on bringing down trade barriers, which have been deadlocked since ministers from rich and poor countries clashed in Cancun, Mexico last year.
The compromise focusing on agriculture, which must be endorsed by July 30, is regarded as an essential step before negotiations on the round of trade liberalisation launched in the Qatari capital Doha in November 2001 can go ahead.
"Time is running out. Despite pledges of reform, rich countries have pursued a strategy based on self-interest and consistently blamed everyone else for potential deadlock," Charveriat said.
Oxfam called for "major improvements" in the WTO draft, which outlines the areas that will be included in further negotiations.
The agency's demands included more detail on restricting export credits, which are principally paid to US farmers by the United States, and on preventing dumping of agricultural products on world markets.
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