A ?Modalities? WTO Ministerial Next June?

London In a move to avoid the collapse of the mid-December Hong Kong World Trade Organization ministerial meeting because of paucity of time and the large number of unresolved issues in the Doha Development Agenda negotiations, suggestions are being made to have a "proper" ministerial summit next June, WTD has learned (see related report this issue).

"We have got hints from a key official overseeing the Hong Kong ministerial meeting that it would not be a bad idea to have a mere compilation of issues and secure full modalities in June next year," one trade official told WTD.

In his press conference here yesterday, Indian trade minister Kamal Nath said it is more important to secure "content" not "quantity" on developmental issues at Hong Kong or afterwards.