As we're sitting here in the press centre, dare I say twiddling our thumbs, the latest is roughly as follows:
Last night, a story first put out by the AP quoted the Indian Trade Minister as saying that there was a deal agreed upon by all parties to fully liberalise agricultural trade. The EU quickly rebutted by saying no deal had been reached. Now, it seems that the consensus is that the agreed target date to remove market distortions in the agricultural sector is 2013. Agreed upon, that is, by all but one important player in global trade talks, Brazil. Apparently they're pushing for an earlier date, which would seem to put the Mandy and the rest of the EU negotiators in a bit of a bind.
There are still about 20 or 30 people staging a peaceful protests outside where the most violent activity took place last night. Inside, a handful of NGOs who are chanting about the importance of Korean rice. And the perils of corporations. No word yet on whether they manufacture their own clothes and harvest their own food. Or whether they took their canoes from Europe or decided to swim.
Rumours are flying around the press centre and no one can be sure of what exactly is going on. More news as it comes.
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