France won't sign up for WTO deal without changes, says Sarkozy

World Trade Organisation Director General Pascal Lamy later Thursday told a meeting of the WTO’s 153 members that “on some of the key issues, positions still remain too far apart.”

Lamy convened the meeting of 35 leading trade negotiators with the aim of mapping out a deal to conclude the long-delayed Doha round of trade liberalisation talks. The Doha round began seven years ago with the aim of helping poor countries enjoy the fruits of freer global trade. But the process has been hampered by disputes between the rich developed world and poorer developing nations over cutting subsidies and tariffs.

France has a long record of taking a tough stance to defend EU agriculture and French farmers at EU and WTO level.

In recent weeks it has sniped at Mandelson for making what it sees as too many concessions on agricultural trade in the absence of firm commitments that industrial goods and services would enjoy greater access to markets in emerging and developing countries.

Meanwhile, a threat by France to torpedo a new global free-trade pact deepened the gloom surrounding troubled WTO negotiations Thursday, with scant progress having been made so far toward a deal.

Strains between big and small countries also emerged, adding to tension between rich and poor nations, as four days of gruelling talks produced little sign that an agreement was within reach.