An agreement to launch a new round of global trade talks is within reach after more than five days of arduous bargaining, a trade official said early on Wednesday in Doha.
"It's moving forward. It's within reach," the official said.
He said World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Mike Moore was chairing an all-night session of talks in Doha involving about 25 countries aimed at bridging gaps on remaining contentious issues among the trade body's 142 members.
The group had come up with new wording on the controversial issue of farm export subsidies that "appears to offer a compromise which people can endorse", the official said.
The European Union, especially France, had rejected earlier wording calling for talks to phase out farm export subsidies.
The other big sticking point still to be resolved is over India's demand on behalf of developing nations for greater access to rich-country textile markets.
"I don't think India wants to see it fail," the official said.
(China Daily November 14, 2001)
