The U.S. is under pressure from developing countries to provide additional access for business personnel in the Doha round services negotiations, or run the risk that developing countries will not open their markets in the negotiations.
The WTO panel Thursday announced its decision to reject a U.S. appeal of an earlier decision that its domestic and export subsidies on cotton harmed farmers in Brazil and other countries.
Mateo said that if the approach put forward by the three Latin American countries is accepted, there may be no need for the separate NAMA sectoral initiative being pushed mainly by developed countries.
The Bush administration defended U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization on Tuesday as congressional opponents of the world trade body said they would demand a vote on whether to quit.
