The Australian Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, thinks the Doha Round has a 50-50 chance: Bush move gives Doha new life. (Tim Colebatch and Orietta Guerrera, The Age, June 24):
The Bush Administration's recent efforts have been helpful, but:
"I've spoken to all the major players in the past week, and there's still quite a gap between them," he [Vaile] said.
The size of the gap was made clear overnight when the chairman of the agriculture talks, Crawford Falconer, released a draft text listing 760 areas where negotiators cannot agree.
Many observers are sceptical that a deal can be reached next week, and expect the talks to continue through July , and possibly later.
But the tone of the debate is changing fast as countries turn down the rhetoric and search for middle ground. The European Union has said it could raise its offer to cut farm tariffs, while Brazil and India say they can lift their offers on industrial tariffs.
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