[FR] Is agriculture a key factor in development?

The progress made, particularly on agriculture, at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December 2005 gave rise to hopes that negotiations would now begin on all issues in the multilateral round of talks. This does not seem to be the case. Agriculture remains a sticking point and several of the negotiating parties are now demanding further concessions from the European Union before any further discussions can take place. It is part of the negotiating game for each party to delay announcing its offer, but to suggest that the European Union is the obstacle to a general agreement because it refuses to make further concessions on market access is, as Jagdish Bhagwati points out, to wear blinkers.