Indian sensitivities crucial: WTO chief

Kamal Nath emphasised that India would not budge from its position to protect the livelihood concerns of its farmers. “Agriculture is not a trade issue and cannot be treated like one by the WTO,” he added.

Supachai, who also met Prime minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister P Chidambaram said that the US and European Union countries have accepted that movement on all three pillars of agriculture, including market access, should be in tandem.

Supachai said the differences on contentious issues were narrowing down and there were signs of flexibility in both developed and developing countries, raising hopes of a framework by July end.

“The signs we are getting are that although countries could not agree on convergence in position, they are negotiating, providing different options for others to consider. So they are still trying to be flexible in their position and this gives me good hope,” he said.