Doha round difficulties and approaches to WTO negotiations

Comments on Ann Capling “The end of Doha as we have known it: what next for Australian trade policy?” 3/05/2011, http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2011/05/03/the-end-of-doha-as-we-have-known-it-what-next-for-australian-trade-policy/

I have to say that I am very unfamiliar to WTO Doha round negotiations, not to mention the causes of current difficulties.

I would like to ask a question however. Why could WTO adopt a rather different approach to member negotiations by having a forward opt in strategy?

Such a strategy would be to advance a version of forward and make it an agreement among them first if there are at least a set minimum number of countries or with a set minimum share of world trade agree to a clause, with it open for other members to opt in at a later stage. Once opting in, a country should only move forward.

This strategy would settle on agreements and leave disagreements aside.

With proper provisions or revision to existing rules, it could avoid the current cumbersome negotiations and make gradual and steady advancement and could potentially replace the needs for regional trade agreement for many countries.

In fact, such a strategy could be applied to some other international organisations, such as different UN bodies.

More specifically, UN climate change negotiations.