"There's no question of happiness or unhappiness in trade matters," said Nripendra Misra, Special Secretary in the Indian Department of Commerce. "It's a matter of dollars and cents."

Bringing 143 countries, plus numerous observer countries and organizations together to a consensus decision is not easy. Mike Moore, WTO Director General, has consistently stressed the importance of countries working together and the fact that the WTO is a consensus body. Member countries, however, have very different issues on their agendas and now the challenge for delegates is to find ways to compromise on issues without compromising on their needs. Even with the diversity of agendas and the strong stance countries are taking toward these talks, the fact remains that the WTO has a role, and it is essential for countries that want to increase world trade.

"We [in the WTO] have more countries now than ever, and even more want to join," said Andre Lemay, Deputy Director for Trade in the Canadian Department of International Trade. "China's drive to join the WTO is proof that even a former centrally controlled economy like China's has something to contribute, as well as something to gain from being a member."

Some members, predominantly developing countries, strongly criticized the draft Ministerial Declaration during the General Council meeting in Geneva, calling the pre-meeting process undemocratic. "I am constrained to point out that the draft Ministerial Declaration is neither fair nor just to the view points of many developing countries including my own on certain key issues," Murasoli Maran, Minister of Commerce and Industry for India said in his statement to the plenary Saturday. "It appears that the whole process was a mere formality and we [developing countries] are being coerced against our will."

Developing countries are looking for more work to be done on implementation before new issues, the so-called "Singapore issues," are discussed. Developed countries, want to see simultaneous work to be done on competition policies and investment, two issues that developing countries are holding back on. "Lack of transparency in investment and competition rules still holds back international trade," said Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, United Kingdom Minister of Trade and Investment. For many developing countries the implementation issues are the main reason for trade still being hampered.

"Unless you talk about implementation issues together with new issues as a package we won't feel that this is actually a better future for us," said Hatanto Reksodipoetro, Director General of the International Cooperation for Industry and Trade. "It would rather be an additional burden on us."

Despite these differences developing countries present at Doha seem to be gritting their teeth and looking for ways to find compromise. "India is very constructively engaged in the whole process," said Misra. "There have been meetings of all countries, which is a very constructive process in the WTO. Meetings are not being confined to coalition of interest groups."

Numerous meetings are already taking place behind the scenes and delegations are setting up briefing after briefing to get their points across to the media and other representatives-that they mean business. Even as they criticize the pre-ministerial process of being undemocratic and not transparent, delegates stress that the forum serves as a positive and open means of communications with other countries, even if only to disagree.

"It's always interesting to see how the point of view differs from country to country and from interest to interest," said Lemay. "We'll seeing very diverse points of view, diverse perspectives, diverse approaches." One point of convergence for most members is that this round must help developing countries. "Generally speaking this round has to be a developing round-it has to assist developing countries in developing their economy," said Reksodipoetro. Pakistan's minister for commerce, industries and production, Abdul Razak Dawood, echoed these sentiments in the opening statement. "Our ambitions are not limited to merely launching a 'new Round.' "Development round" will be an oxymoron, if not a deception, so long as it does not give priority to the development objectives of the developing countries."

Globalization has become a four-letter word to some people-a fact that would be highlighted if protesters were allowed at the conference-but it is central to the working of current society. And the WTO, as an organization that promotes global trades and links is here to stay.