Warnings of no progress at WTO talks

While protesters keep up the pressure outside, politicians argue with each other inside.At World Trade Organisation talks in Hong Kong, member states are at loggerheads over farm subsidies, food aid and measures to help the world’s poorest countries.

As protesters tried for a second day to reach the meeting venue, delegates abandoned hopes of approving a draft free trade treaty because of differences between rich and poor countries. US trade representative Rob Portman said: “Let us set another deadline to keep the pressure on. It’s going to be tempting after Hong Kong to take a deep breath, won’t it? We can’t let that happen.” EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson had this warning: “We cannot afford to wait again, when the finishing line is in sight, that is the time to quicken the pace. We will not succeed in Hong Kong or after, if we continue to focus though on only one part of the round.”

Copyright © 2012 euronews