No date set for WTO ministerial meeting - diplomats

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is ready to intensify efforts to complete the Doha round negotiations, but has not set a date for a ministerial meeting, diplomats said yesterday.

Speaking after a morning meeting with WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy, the diplomats said talks over the long-sought global trade accord would ramp up over the coming week, after which ministers may be invited to Geneva to seek a broad deal.

"Everyone agreed that there is a clear political signal coming from the G20 and that we need to translate that into action in Geneva," Brazil's chief trade negotiator Roberto Avezedo said.