Until bigwigs in Brussels and Washington are ready to outface their cosseted farmers, Mr Zoellick's tariff-cutting plan will go nowhere.

ECONOMIST: America wants a duty-free world. Almost

The bank has friends in finance, the press and parliament, but probably too few to outface a determined Mr Kohl even if Hans Tietmeyer, the bank's president, says he may resign.

ECONOMIST: The Bundesbank bites back