This issue of South Bulletin focuses on the deep impasse in the World Trade Organization’s Doha negotiations. The "crunch time" has come for these talks.  Although political leaders in the G20 pledged to conclude the talks by 2011, this is not likely to happen because there are still big gaps between the positions of developed and developing countries.

The main article in the Bulletin examines what is behind this impasse, why the positions are so far apart, and what can be expected to happen in the next few weeks, when new documents are issued at the WTO and as the member countries debate what to do about the Doha talks.

The Bulletin is also publishing the very interesting and important statements recently made at the WTO by some of the leading developing countries - Brazil, China, India, South Africa, as well as Ecuador and the Philippines. They explain the positions of these developing countries. Brazil for example asked, "Are we facing a Doha end-game, or the end of the game?" 

We also produce excerpts from the United States' statement, which shows how contrasting the positions are among WTO members. 

Other articles in the Bulletin deal with:

• A South Centre view of the Green Economy debate at the UN's process towards the summit on Sustainable Development in Rio (Brazil) in 2012.
  
• An article on the trade and environment negotiations at the WTO, in which developing countries are wary of efforts to open their markets in the name of the environment.
  
• The conclusion of the GSTP Round of South-South trade preferences.
  
• A review on a book on the great financial crisis and challenges for Asia.

To access the whole South Bulletin, please

click here

To access individual articles, please see below:

• Behind the Impasse in WTO’s Doha Talks
• China: The Gaps Are Big But We’ll Still Try Our Hardest
• India Urges Caution on “Chairs’ Texts” in WTO
• “Excessive Demands of North Would Undermine the Round’s Development Mandate”
• Doha Talks Face “ A Very Serious Situation”: Brazil
• Wide Gaps in the Doha Talks — the US View
• Brazil: Are We Facing a Doha End-Game, or the End of the Game?
• To End the Round, We Must Adhere to Fairness Principle
• Small Developing Countries Need Policy Space
• A Stronger Safeguard for Agriculture is Needed
• Environment Talks in WTO: Assisting The South or Making It Dependent on Imports of Technology?
• The “Green Economy” Debate: a Sustainability Perspective
• GSTP São Paulo Round Concludes; a South-South Cooperation Milestone
• South Centre’s Statement at the Cancun Climate Conference Conference
• Nowhere to Hide: The Great Financial Crisis and Challenges for Asia