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HONG KONG, Oct 18 (AFP): Organisers of a crucial WTO summit in Hong Kong said yesterday they were unable to confirm whether Saudi Arabia's long hoped for accession to the trade group would be included on December's agenda.
Raymond Young, chief co-ordinator of the sixth ministerial conference (MC6), said he could not confirm comments by World Trade Organisation chief Pascal Lamy that the Middle Eastern kingdom was likely to join by the December meeting.
"As host, if accession talks for any economy have advanced to an advanced stage and the WTO membership agree that the economy's formal accession should be put on the agenda for MC6, we will be happy to oblige and make the necessary logistical preparations for the accession ceremony," Young told newsmen.
But he added: "We do not comment on the likelihood of particular economies at this stage. The picture will become clearer nearer the time."
Lamy was reported to have said during a visit to the southern Chinese city over the weekend that Saudi Arabia's 12- year bid for WTO entry was within reach.
"I believe that we can probably get Saudi Arabia ... and that's probably all for (the) Hong Kong (summit)," he was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post English-language daily.
The five-day summit in December is hoped to bring the so-called Doha round of talks on trade liberalisation close to a conclusion. The round is also hoped to cut a deal to use trade to end poverty in poor countries.
The sticking point to an agreement, said Lamy, had been United States and European Union foot-dragging on the issue of lowering subsidies for their inefficient farmers.
This, he said, had distorted trade patterns and prevented the developing world from selling its agricultural goods in rich developed countries.
Lamy, who had faced protests from anti-globalisation groups during round-table talks with NGOs here said a deal was far from certain.
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