Nov 27 (Reuters) - The 153-member World Trade Organisation (WTO) is holding its seventh ministerial conference in its Geneva base from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.
WILL THE CONFERENCE NEGOTIATE A DOHA TRADE DEAL?
No. Unlike previous WTO ministerial conferences, this one will not focus on trade negotiations. The WTO's Doha round is already eight years old, making it the longest-running trade negotiation, but it is not yet ready for the final political push that would seal a deal.
The organisers are adamant that the conference will not be hijacked by negotiations on Doha -- launched in late 2001 to open markets and help developing countries prosper through trade -- but will set the WTO's long-term strategy.
However... WTO chief Pascal Lamy says you cannot ignore the "elephant in the room". So the review of the WTO's work will give ministers plenty of opportunity to discuss progress on the Doha talks. And of course, if groups of ministers want to get together at an ambassador's residence to tackle one of the outstanding issues, no one can stop them.
SO WHAT WILL THEY TALK ABOUT?
The general theme of the conference is: "The WTO, the Multilateral Trading System and the Current Global Economic Environment".
That will be discussed at a plenary session running Dec. 1-2 (Nov. 30 will be devoted to a ceremonial opening session.) In addition there will be two working sessions running in parallel with the plenary. On Dec. 1 ministers will discuss a review of WTO activities, including the Doha work programme, and on Dec. 2 they will look at the WTO's contribution to recovery, growth and development.
That will give ministers from all countries the opportunity to discuss the full range of WTO activities. Contributions will be limited to 3 minutes.
There will be no sub-groups discussing specific questions, meetings of key players excluding the broad membership, or all-night negotiations.
WILL THEY TAKE ANY DECISIONS?
There will be a factual and balanced "Chair's summary" to report on the outcome of the conference, summarising the discussions.
They will also decide when to hold the next conference -- around the same time of year in 2011 in Geneva unless anyone else offers to host it. That does not rule out the possibility of a special conference in the meantime if there is a Doha deal.
Ministerial conferences are supposed to be held every two years, but none has taken place since Hong Kong in 2005, for fear it would be hijacked by the Doha talks.
Two long-standing items are also on the agenda for action.
One is to look at how to resolve disputes involving intellectual property, when no WTO rules have been broken. A moratorium on launching such disputes is likely to be extended.
The second looks at how to bring e-commerce into WTO rules. Again a moratorium on imposing duties on e-commerce transactions is likely to be extended. (The goods themselves ordered online from another country can still be liable to customs.)
The only other proposal by the Oct. 16 deadline was from India, calling for regular reviews and updating of the way the WTO does its work. But Cuba, Venezuela and several other countries objected that they had not had enough time to consider this, and the proposal was dropped.
Other issues can be discussed, but no formal decisions taken.
WHO WILL CHAIR THE CONFERENCE?
Normally the conference is chaired by the host country's trade minister. But that rule is being waived this time, and it will be chaired by country whose WTO ambassador currently chairs the governing council. That means Chile's finance minister, Andres Velasco, will preside.
The vice-chairmen will be Swiss Economy Minister Doris Leuthard, Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu and Egyptian Trade Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid.
WTO chief Pascal Lamy will chair the first working session, reviewing the WTO's work, and the chairman of the general council, Chile's ambassador Mario Matus, will chair the second, on the WTO's contribution to recovery and development.
WILL THERE BE DEMONSTRATIONS?
The organisers do not expect protests on the scale of the conference in Seattle exactly 10 years ago, which led to the meeting being abandoned.
One big protest will march through Geneva past the WTO headquarters on Saturday Nov. 28. Other events will take place during the meeting.
The Geneva authorities are preparing for trouble and have imposed tight security and accreditation rules on the meeting, calling in extra police from neighbouring areas and cordoning off the area around the conference centre.
(Reporting by Jonathan Lynn; Editing by Victoria Main) ((jonathan.lynn@reuters.com; +41 22 733 3831; Reuters Messaging: jonathan.lynn.reuters.com@reuters.net ))