[originaltext] World Trade Organization chief Supachai Panitchpakdi says all

World Trade Organization chief Supachai Panitchpakdi says all WTO nations need to pull together in the coming months, if the ambitious economic blueprint known as the Doha Development Agenda is to succeed. Supachai Panitchpakdi says most WTO nations have indicated that they want to complete the so-called Doha round of trade talks by 2006. But the director general of the World Trade Organization says finalizing the negotiations requires a consensus of the 148 member nations. And that, he says, means they must work hard over the next several months to finalize details of the wide-ranging agreement. "This means there will be no deal Until there is agreement on the whole negotiating package, because there are linkages between different subject areas," he said. "The 2006 deadline is feasible, I am confident, is still feasible. But it will require major advances in technical discussions and strong political determination." Mr. Supachai spoke at the Pacific Basin Economic Council in Hong Kong on Monday. He stressed the need to strengthen trade negotiations at next December’s WTO ministerial conference, which will be held in Hong Kong.