Brazils External Affairs Minister, Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim said, We know all the issues that are there and there is a basic agreement on the issues. We may re-touch some issues here and there, but cannot open up issues completely. On the question of using bilateral engagements within the Doha Round for additional market access, he said, I have been in this endgame for a long time. We have been engaging in bilaterals all the time. I understand that in this process, we now need some extra bilaterals to explain to other people what our commitments mean and have an idea of how flexibilities will be used. This is normal, but cannot replace the multi-lateral process..If we want to change to a bilateral process, we can be sure that the result will be much worse from the point of view of developing countries.

On the possibility of Doha deal being finalized by 2010, Amorim said, We have missed so many realistic targets that I would not comment on this. However, what I can say is that it all depends upon a single thing it is a technicality, but complex. It depends upon all the players wishing to finalise. If they wish so, and they know how to go about it, then you can do it. It is not like last July when we did not know what the formula to apply to NAMA was. So the question now is, is this the package or do we want to change the package. If the answer to the first question is yes, we can do it realistically. If the answer is no, then it will take longer.

On the question of supplementing the multilateral process with bilateral and plurilateral engagements, Mariann Fischer Boel, Agriculture Commissioner of European Commission was not against the bilateral initiatives. She said, For me, it is important that we get a multilateral solution. Bilateral initiatives are fine. We cannot substitute multilateral system with bilaterals because you will never be able to discipline domestic support by bilateral engagements. On the possibility of Doha Round being concluded in 2010, she said, The sooner, the better, because we are in a situation where we do not want to see the ugly head of protectionism as this would prolong the global downturn. Hence we sincerely hope that the deal is concluded as soon as possible. As far as taking care of development of poorer countries, she said, Development is an important aspect of Doha process. First of all, to create wealth and trade is a wealth creating tool. We should give special access to the least developed countries. We have been giving duty-free market access to least developed countries since 2001.

China, too, has objected to introduction of bilaterals, as proposed by the US, who wants the bilateral talks to be accorded importance in concluding the Doha talks. A senior trade official from China said while the country was ready to clarify on market access issues, it was opposed to negotiating these during the bilateral meetings. China, for example, said it was important to have a strong outcome on farm subsidies, an area in which the United States is not prepared to agree for real and effective cuts. Beijing also maintained that the Doha market access talks were based on formulas and disciplines but not request and offer, as was the case in the previous rounds of trade negotiations. China also insisted that self-designation of special products is part of the mandate and that it is not obliged to inform what it would do. Further, China said that sectoral tariff elimination in industrial products was based on voluntary framework and not on a mandatory basis.

India's Stand

Anand Sharma, Commerce Minister has contested the views of Pascal Lamy and some other countries like China and Brazil that most of the issues of the Doha round of trade talks have been settled. Said Sharma, In some quarters, it has been suggested that most issues have been settled and we are almost in the endgame. However, if we look at the text modalities on agriculture and non-agriculture market access (NAMA0 alone, it would be apparent that there are still gaps and a number of unresolved issues. This also reflects Indias determination to adopt a tough stance on agriculture and NAMA, key to its industry and farmers.

India would not let the negotiations on services and other issues such as anti-dumping rules and disciplines on fishery subsidies to be relegated to the sidelines. In July last year, a mini-ministerial on the ongoing Doha Round had broken up due to disagreements over the level of protection to be accorded to developing countries against imports and whether countries eliminating tariffs in select sectors should get flexibilities in other areas. Sharma clarified, All these issues need to be extensively discussed at the technical level of senior officials. This will take time and needs to be factored in when we decide on a schedule for ensuing months to determine when agri or NAMA modalities can be meaningfully concluded. India has also demanded that market access talks on industrial goods should be based on the parameters mentioned in a draft agreement released by WTO in December 2008.