Ahead of her meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath, US Trade Representative (USTR) Susan Schwab has said the big question facing Doha Round of trade talks is whether emerging markets like India, China and Brazil are ready to make commitments on opening their markets.

“The big question for the round is whether the emerging markets like China, India and Brazil are willing to make contributions to global market opening commensurate with their growth rates and levels of development,” a statement quoted Ms Schwab as saying.

Mr Kamal Nath and Ms Schwab are scheduled to meet Wednesday and Thursday at New York and review the progress of official level talks at Geneva, headquarters of the World Trade Organisation.

The USTR also said President George W Bush was committed to the success of the multilateral negotiations, which have been in progress for the last seven years.“The President’s commitment to the Round is unequivocal, the process in Geneva rolls on and my schedule continues to take me wherever there are trade ministers interested in finding that elusive breakthrough,” she said.

India is pushing for a wider list of special products in agriculture on which it would not be required to make commitments for duty reduction. However, the proposal is meeting resistance from the US, which is seeking a bigger market for its farm products in emerging economies like India.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of WTO Negotiating Group on Agriculture Crawford Falconer has agreed to give more time to member countries.