Delhi meet has broken WTO impasse: Minister

Global trade talks that were stalled since July last year will resume in Geneva on September 14, with trade ministers of key World Trade Organization members agreeing in New Delhi [ Images ] that the negotiations should be taken forward.

"We have reached an agreement to intensify the negotiations, it has been a breakthrough in this meeting, if I can use this expression 'impasse'. . . (has) been broken. . .," Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said after the two-day informal meeting hosted by India [ Images ].

Talks had collapsed in Geneva in July last year after India, among others, opposed agriculture subsidies offered by rich nations to their farmers on the grounds that this distorts trade by making produce of developing countries costly.

"It has been agreed by all... by strong consensus and unanimous endorsement that the chief negotiators and the senior officials will meet in Geneva on September 14," Sharma added.

The negotiators will meet for a week beginning September 14.