 "WTO: How the deal was clinched")
By Wednesday, it seemed as if talks would collapse in Bali, Indonesia after commerce & industry minister Anand Sharma talked tough, rejecting peace clause in its present form.
Then back room diplomacy happened to see the deal through.
Sharma first met Indonesian trade minister Gita Wirjaw, who was the chairman of the WTO ministerial conference.
There was a lull for a while.
On Thursday evening, Sharma again met Azevedo and Wirjaw. No breakthrough, however, could be made.
At night, Sharma again met them along with US Trade Representative Michael Froman.
In the meeting, it was decided to change the wordings of text to make things move.
Next day, Sharma called Prime Minister back home to get clearance.
With the text saying that interim measures on Peace Clause would be there till permanent solution is found, a deal was reached by Friday morning.
However, by then, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela threatened to stall the deal demanding relaxations form US on freedom of transit under trade facilitation agreement.
Heads of Department of these countries were again summoned by DG at 10 AM, Saturday (local time) and that's when it seemed a deal had been cracked with WTO releasing the final ministerial declaration post which the Closing Session was announced.
After almost an hour the WTO Bali ministerial conference-(MC) 9 was officially gavelled to order, a ceremonial way of closing a Ministerial Conference, which is the highest decision-making body of the WTO. End
Then back room diplomacy happened to see the deal through.
Sharma first met Indonesian trade minister Gita Wirjaw, who was the chairman of the WTO ministerial conference.
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Then, WTO director general Roberto Azevedo, Sharma and his counterparts from Brazil and South Africa met.
There was a lull for a while.
On Thursday evening, Sharma again met Azevedo and Wirjaw. No breakthrough, however, could be made.
At night, Sharma again met them along with US Trade Representative Michael Froman.
In the meeting, it was decided to change the wordings of text to make things move.
Next day, Sharma called Prime Minister back home to get clearance.
With the text saying that interim measures on Peace Clause would be there till permanent solution is found, a deal was reached by Friday morning.
However, by then, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela threatened to stall the deal demanding relaxations form US on freedom of transit under trade facilitation agreement.
Heads of Department of these countries were again summoned by DG at 10 AM, Saturday (local time) and that's when it seemed a deal had been cracked with WTO releasing the final ministerial declaration post which the Closing Session was announced.
After almost an hour the WTO Bali ministerial conference-(MC) 9 was officially gavelled to order, a ceremonial way of closing a Ministerial Conference, which is the highest decision-making body of the WTO. End