Officials and diplomats were discussing various issues such as banana imports and protection of product names in preparation for the upcoming ministerial trade negotiations. Trade experts emphasized that the importance of the Doha round talks extends beyond tariff and subsidy cuts, showing the international community's ability to address major problems like the food crisis. World Trade Organisation Chief Economist Patrick Low expressed concern about governments' inability to reach an agreement on trade negotiations and questioned their ability to handle issues like climate change. WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy called for a breakthrough in the long-running Doha round at the upcoming Geneva meeting, which is scheduled to last a week, aiming to open up world trade and help developing countries escape poverty. Negotiators are expressing a new sense of urgency and even optimism as they work towards clinching the outlines of a deal in agriculture and industrial goods. Ministers from approximately 30 countries are aiming to finalize the deal next week to avoid being overshadowed by the U.S. elections and the upcoming change in the White House. Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath emphasized the importance of addressing the challenges of finance, food, and fuel in any potential agreement, stating that these issues are the context in which the negotiations are taking place. World leaders including U.S. President George W. Bush and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have also called for a deal to be reached. A trade agreement will involve wealthy nations such as the United States, Japan, and members of the EU reducing farm tariffs and subsidies to allow more access to their markets for food. In exchange, countries like India and Brazil will lower their tariffs to provide greater access to their markets for industrial goods and services. After ministers reach an agreement on the framework, negotiators will work on the specific details over the next few months, covering thousands of tariff lines and addressing other issues such as fisheries subsidies and rules for imports. The main challenge is whether ministers can bridge the gap between developed and developing nations. France, the largest food producer in the EU and the current EU presidency holder, stated that the EU has made all possible concessions in agriculture. French Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Idrac stated at a press conference in Brussels that the shared goal is to achieve a rebalancing of the concessions made by the EU. EU trade chief Peter Mandelson mentioned that EU governments had supported him in seeking further concessions in the WTO negotiations. In the WTO's consensus-based structure, each of the 152 current members (soon to be 153 with Cape Verde joining) has the power to veto. Developing countries argue that, based on the Doha round's development mandate, they should be required to open their markets to a lesser extent than wealthier nations. However, they are being asked to expose their subsistence farmers and emerging industries to competition while wealthier nations continue to protect their own farmers. Wealthy nations insist that they need to show tangible benefits in market access in countries like India and China in order to gain support for a deal that requires significant cuts in farm protection domestically. They believe that the most significant gains will be seen in South-South trade, where developing countries trade with each other. While the prevailing belief is that free trade leads to economic growth and overall prosperity, some non-governmental organizations argue that the current Doha proposals will actually increase poverty among farmers and workers in poor countries and further entrench their dependence on wealthy nations. Anuradha Mittal, the executive director of the Oakland Institute, a U.S.-based thinktank, expressed opposition to the proposal put forth by communities and social movements, stating that it hinders developing countries from implementing necessary measures to address the crisis. On the other hand, Pascal Lamy, a stern Frenchman and former EU trade chief, believes strongly in the potential of a Doha deal to reduce distortions in the global trading system for the benefit of poorer countries. He argues that this could ultimately increase food supplies in the long term and boost confidence in the short term. Lamy suggests that providing a positive signal in the system may be one of the few ways to offer good news, as he sees no other avenue for this to occur.