ISLAMABAD, June 21: The WTO mini-ministerial conference opened in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, on Saturday, said an official announcement.

Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan raised among others the issue of greater market access for its agriculture and industrial products in the quota free WTO regime after January 2005.

The conference started on Saturday. It was attended by about 25 trade and commerce ministers from leading trading states to discuss various issues relating to global trade.

The conference will defend the interest of developing countries in issues vital to the development and fair expansion of trade as improving market access is condition for various agriculture and industrial products of Pakistan and other developing countries, particularly textile and textile made-ups.

It will also deliberate upon the agriculture products and services sector’s business in quota free WTO regime after January 2005.

Pakistan would also discuss the concerns of exporters of Pakistan and other developing countries, and would make efforts for securing special treatment to developing countries’ exporters.

The Sharm-El-Sheikh gathering is vital for the success of Doha round of trade negotiations and lays the ground for forthcoming meeting of WTO in Mexico in September.

The commerce minister will also hold talks with Egyptian minister for foreign trade, Dr Youssef Boutoros-Ghali on promotion of trade ties between Pakistan and Egypt.