WTO’s Future is in the Dark.doc

WTO’s Future is in the Dark BBC news, you are listening to the BBC World Service. And now, Analysis. Crucial world trade talks take place in Hong Kong this week - with some saying its one of the last chances for the World Trade Organisation to secure a global trade pact. The world has been edging towards free trade for the past 60 years, but progress recently has stumbled over issues like farm subsidies and access to markets in richer countries. The role and structure of the WTO itself has also been called into question - is it now too big and too unwieldy to make effective decisions? Here our business reporter Mark Gregory. REP: There was once a time when trade negotiations were the stuff of quiet diplomacy, back room deals which made only the business pages of the worlds newspapers. The worlds step by step progress towards free trade, and the assumption that that was the right thing to do, was barely questioned. Then came the Seattle trade summit - and things changed. MALE: As I speak, the tear gas is spreading out over the streets REP: Anti globalisation protesters at Seattle in 1999 made headline news, as they clashed with riot police. While the violence was only on the streets, inside the negotiating rooms feelings were running just as high as poor countries accused rich ones of using free trade as a cover for stitching up the global trading system to their own advantage. FEMALE: And theres tear gas all around; everybody is retreating to another section, where I am now. Youve just heard another of the canisters go off REP: Trade, and the belief in the rightness of trade liberalisation, had become controversial, divisive - and front page news. There is now huge political and public pressure on trade negotiators - wholl meet in Hong Kong this week. Nearly 150 countries will be represented at a summit which is supposed to agree the outlines of a new global deal to create jobs and wealth by lowering tariff barriers and subsidies, and fostering more trade. Its th