Rich countries are loth to do more on farm trade until they see progress in talks on industrial goods and services.

ECONOMIST: 2005 will be a vital year for free-trade talks

Given the mercantilist mindset of trade negotiations, that will only happen if barriers to industrial goods and services are also reduced, especially by big developing countries such as Brazil and India. (The fact that lower tariffs benefit an importing economy is lost on trade negotiators.) In this area, the Geneva deal achieved less.

ECONOMIST: But the Doha round of trade talks is far from finished

Eight million Russians now work in new small businesses, producing even according to official statistics, which are certain to understate the figure 5% of all industrial goods and 15% of all services in the country.

ECONOMIST: A survey of Russia

That should start with the wholesale dismantling of the vast military-industrial complex and the reallocation of its assets and personnel to meet the crushing need for consumer goods and services.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Russia Hints at Blackmail Over Arms

The framework for talks on industrial goods has many loose ends, and the text on services does little more than tell negotiators to try harder.

ECONOMIST: But the Doha round of trade talks is far from finished