Tuesday, December 13 2005 13:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hong Kong: Rich and poor nations were at odds as a World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting opened here today (Dec 13, 2005), with Trade Ministers saying a breakthrough is unlikely on the thorny issue of agricultural trade that has held up negotiations for months.

At least 1,000 protesters, mostly South Korean farmers wearing red bandanas, gathered at a downtown park to chant slogans against the WTO, driven by fears that opening up their agricultural markets would destroy their livelihoods.

Police have blocked off access to roads near the conference site, set up barricades and even glued bricks onto the sidewalks in the hopes of preventing violence that has flared at previous WTO summits.

The six-day meeting was meant to lay the groundwork for a global treaty by the end of 2006 that would cut trade barriers across a wide array of sectors, from agriculture to services, wrapping up the so-called Doha round of talks.

But an impasse over farm trade has brought negotiations to a virtual halt, with developing nations accusing the US, EU and other rich economies of not cutting agricultural tariffs and farm subsidies enough, keeping out exports from poorer nations that depend heavily on agriculture as an income source.

India's trade minister, who has emerged as a key figure in the talks, said that while it would be hard for 149 WTO members to reach an agreement on farm trade, he didn't foresee an outright collapse like the previous ministerial gathering in Cancun, Mexico, two years ago, which fell apart amid acrimony.