WTO members could finalise a trade deal in 'next couple of hours'

Negotiations on fisheries are going on and members are quite close to a deal with carve-outs for India and other developing countries, said an Indian trade negotiator on condition of anonymity

The 164 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are close to finalising a trade deal at the 12th Ministerial Meeting in “next couple of hours”, an Indian trade negotiator said on condition of anonymity.

The four-day MC12, supposed to end on June 15, got extended by a day as an agreement could not be reached within the stipulated time frame. Trade ministers negotiated through the night at the WTO headquarters overseeing Lake Geneva and negotiations continued on Thursday morning.

“Negotiations on fisheries are going on and members are quite close to a deal with carve-outs for India and other