During the last couple of weeks, the WTO headquarters in Geneva has been an unusually calm and quiet place, after weeks of chaotic and untransparent negotiations just before the WTO Ministerial Meeting in Cancun.
As the developing countries, and some of their leaders (here and in capitals) show eagerness to resume the negotiations, the US and the EC seem to be strengthened in their view that they could demand and get a price from the developing countries for this.
Via Campesina, the largest international farmer's organization, and other organizations that adhere to the food sovereignty principle, call for excluding food and agriculture from trade agreements like the WTO, NAFTA and the FTAA.
In the United States, the failure of the World Trade Organization meeting in Cancun, Mexico, to reach a new agreement was seen as a 'debacle' that cast a shadow on the future of free trade.
Many governments as well as NGOs had called for the following principles to be adhered to with respect to the Draft Text: Different and divergent views of Members must be fully reflected in the Text that will form the basis for negotiations.
The WTO's 5th Ministerial Conference in Cancun faces many key issues and problems. The outcome will be crucial for people and communities around the world.
