World Trade Organization ministers, brushing aside security fears, are expected to gather in the Gulf state of Qatar on Friday in another bid to forge an agenda for a new round of talks to lower global trade barriers.
An estimated 4,500 people, including 2,000 government delegates, 700 journalists and 600 representatives of non-governmental organizations, are due to descend on the Qatari capital of Doha for the five-day meeting.
"I think this can be done," WTO Director-General Mike Moore said when asked if ministers will be able to set aside sharp differences to reach an agreement on what should and should not be discussed in a new round.
The global economic downturn is the focus on people's minds, he said, adding that preparatory contacts among ambassadors in Geneva had produced draft texts that - though not agreed - would form a good basis for the Doha meeting.
"I think we're giving the ministers an opportunity to make a decision. It's going to be tough for them in some areas," Moore said in an interview at WTO headquarters in Geneva.
Indeed, officials from the United States, the European Union and developing nations are already warning that deep differences remain and that there is no guarantee the Doha conference will fare any better than a similar gathering two years ago in Seattle.
WTO ministers in Seattle, unnerved by the presence of some 40,000 anti-globalization protesters, failed to overcome policy conflicts and fled the west coast US city with nothing to show for their efforts.
While massive street protests are unlikely in Qatar, where legislation generally forbids political demonstrations, security is nonetheless a burning issue in the aftermath of the September 11 suicide attacks in the United States.
In the last few weeks, Qatar came close to losing its chance to host the WTO conference, as members questioned the wisdom of convening a huge meeting there at a time when the United States and Britain were attacking Afghanistan, a fellow Muslim country.
But following repeated assurances from Qatari authorities that their law enforcement units are up to the job, the WTO chose to stick with Doha.
"I have spoken to our hosts about this. They have consulted widely about this and all the information I get and (WTO) members get, is that we should go to Doha," Moore said.
Nevertheless the US delegation has already received classified government security briefings. Each delegate has also been issued a gas mask, antibiotics and a radio transmitter to call for help, the Washington Post reported.
Once the conference gets under way, one of the toughest issues - even a potential "deal-breaker" - is the question of the WTO's agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights with respect to access to cheaper medicine.
( Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2001)
