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India yet to decide on participation at informal WTO meet

India has been invited to participate at the informal ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation, but the government is yet to decide on its participation.

"We have not yet taken a final decision to participate at the Mexico meeting. We are looking at the list of countries participating in it," Commerce and Industry Minister Murasoli Maran said.

India, which asserted that it was not isolated on WTO issues and that it was capable of protecting its interests, received a formal invitation to participate in the Mexico deliberations.

Asked how soon a decision would be taken Maran replied, "It will be taken in a day or two."

The informal ministerial meeting being organised at Mexico is viewed as an attempt among WTO members to iron out differences ahead of the fourth WTO ministerial at Doha in November.

The United States Trade Representative Robert B Zoellick during his visit to India last week had asked India to be a participant at the informal ministerial.

Zoellick also asked India to consider joining others in negotiating for a new round saying India's stance of addressing implementation concerns first would lead to its isolation.

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