Despite the promise by world leaders in recent days of a renewed push to finalise a deal at the World Trade Organisation before Christmas, there is still no country willing to give ground in the crucial - and stalled - agriculture negotiations.
WTO agriculture talks chairman, Crawford Falconer, says the most recent consultations have only served to confirm some unwritten understandings reached when trade ministers came to Geneva in July.
But on Friday Mr Falconer told an informal meeting of the full WTO membership that no new meaningful flexibilities have emerged.
He said that despite the lack of new flexibilities, he called the meeting in order to summarise his informal consultations with smaller groups of members, to outline his plans for the coming week, and to give members an opportunity to announce new flexibilities — no one did.
Mr Falconer said he would continue his consultations and hold another informal meeting of the full membership this Friday, and possibly another meeting during the week.
The failure to give ground follows the November 15 Washington financial crisis summit, from which the concluding statement included a reference to finalising the Doha Round in order to stimulate the global economy.
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