APEC Yields No Breakthrough on ITA, Though Ministers Say It is 'Within Reach'

The May 23-24 meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers yielded no apparent breakthroughs in the negotiations to expand the product scope of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and the efforts of World Trade Organization members to develop by July 31 a work program to conclude the Doha Round. However, APEC trade ministers in a joint statement said an ITA deal is “within reach” and urged conclusion of the negotiations in the shortest timeframe possible. “We, therefore, encourage those...