World Trade Organization agriculture negotiators want to conclude the Doha Round of trade talks as a whole by the end of 2011. To that end they will embark on the talks' end-game Jan. 17. Their hope is to produce a near-final revised draft of "modalities" by the end of March. At least, that's the plan outlined by Chairperson David Walker.
Walker, who is New Zealand's ambassador, asked members to do their homework over the Christmas and New Year break, consult with each other, and report on progress when they meet on Jan. 17. He said the work on a revised draft "modalities" text will have four components, focusing on: outstanding issues; clarifying points; correcting typos; and providing completing data that will have to be attached to the "modalities".
Ambassador Walker says his plans were developed in a meeting at the WTO headquarters with 38 delegations invited, representing all the main coalitions. He says this is a configuration used from time to time to allow a freer discussion that can then feed into the "multilateral" process involving all members, in a structure sometimes called "concentric circles".
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