WTO members working on draft declaration, says host Kenya

Kenya, the host of the WTO ministerial meting, today expressed hope for a possible deal here even as members are yet to arrive at consensus on all major issues, including agriculture.
Kenyan Trade Minister Amina Mohammed, the Chair of the WTO meeting, also said that all the members are working on the WTO's draft declaration.
Although the talks have entered the final stage of the four-day ministerial, which began on Tuesday, consensus eludes on export subsidy and other issues of interest for developing nations.
There were no differences among the developing countries or between developed and developing nations, she said.

On a question whether there is a conflict between India and African nations, she said: "We are negotiating. There is no direct conflict or dispute between Africa and India. Everybody is trying to do best what they can do.
"We are all siting around the table to make sure that this happens and India is one of the countries around the table".

Rumours were doing the round that the ministerial meeting may be extended by a day to reach at a possible deal.
However, Mohammed said, "We hope that we will be able to get in the next few hours so that the time that was allocated to the conference, we adhere and stick to that and we do not either stop the clock or prolong the time and extend the discussions. We are optimistic."

"We are all in problem solving mode. I can assure you that there is no developed developing. Thats not there at all," she said adding "there is no fight between developing countries.
When asked about state of play on agriculture issues, she said: "They are delicate, we are going back into negotiations. We see how far we can go in next few hours...But we are hopeful".