World Trade Organisation (WTO) chief Mr Supachai Panitchpakdi made a strongly worded warning on Saturday that the fate of negotiations to liberalise global commerce was in the balance.
"The director general explained to ministers that he is very worried. He made it clear that time is running out," spokesman Mr Keith Rockwell told reporters, relaying comments by the WTO chief to around 30 ministers meeting for talks aimed at breathing life into the Doha Round of negotiations.