Davos: Amid sings of progress on the Doha Round of trade talks, the key WTO member including India and Brazil have agreed for holding the next Ministerial Meeting of the WTO around March.

"We have agreed for the Ministerial Meeting around Easter," Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath told reporters after a meeting of 16 trade ministers here on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. However, he said India "will not compromise on the issue of livelihood concern".

The Ministerial Meeting is the highest policy making organ of the World Trade Organisation, which generally takes place once in two years to give political direction to negotiators. The Doha Round, which was to be completed by the beginning of 2005, has missed many deadlines for want of consensus on the contentious issues of agricultural subsidies and industrial tariffs.

While the Cancun Ministerial collapsed in 2003, the one in Hong Kong managed to come out with promises of fair trade. There has not been much progress afterwards and the global trade deal remains elusive.

Source : PTI