Will the Doha rounds of trade talks finally succeed this week in Geneva?

The Doha round of WTO trade talks began in November 2001 in Doha, Qatar. It was billed as the development round where developing nations were meant to find a fairer deal in trade negotiations with the developed nations. So far talks have failed to deliver a deal on global trade.

At issue: Developing countries have been pressing for lower farm subsidies and agricultural tariffs in the developed world.

Industrialised states are demanding in return that developing countries make their markets more accessible to imported services and manufactured goods.

So far developing nations have insisted that any deal is contingent upon the EU and US first cutting back on agricultural subsidies. The US says it has made concessions on agricultural subsidies.

This weekend, however, the Brazilian foreign minister caused controversy when he compared the US negotiators to Goebbels :

"Goebbels used to say if you repeat a lie several times it becomes a truth," said Amorim, whose country has co-led with India a broad coalition of developing countries at the WTO talks.

Negotiators now say that the six day discussions in Geneva is 'make or break time.' That a deal must be finished before November elections in the US when a more protectionist administration is expected to come to power.