Indonesia urges delegates to use political will to end WTO impasse

Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan asked officials of World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries attending the ninth WTO ministerial conference on Wednesday to use political will to end the negotiation impasse, paving the way for the future of the Doha Round. "It does not require mastery or technical issues but rather political will to cross the finish line," Gita, who chairs the conference, said in his turn to speak at the plenary session held in Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC) here. "Talks hang like an albatross around our necks but I don't believe it's time to give up. We have a package of outcomes that will benefit the least developed countries," the minister added. The plenary session gave opportunities for ministers representing regions and states to speak about issues such as trade facilitation, agriculture and development. Among those spoke in the event were ministers and senior officials from India, Brazil, EU, China, Russia and the United Kingdom. The WTO started its ninth ministerial conference on Tuesday afternoon in the Indonesian resort island of Bali, struggling to revive the long-stalled Doha Round by reaching a possible trade deal at the four-day meeting. Trade chiefs of the WTO's 159 members is working to break trade impasses and finalize a package of global trade agreements that mainly cover trade facilitation, development and agriculture, in a bid to pave the way for future completion of the Doha Round.