Doubtful About Doha, Brazil Prepares For More WTO Battles

BRASILIA (Dow Jones)--As Brazil gives up on any agreement being reached over the Doha round of global trade talks this year, it is expanding its team at the World Trade Organization to meet what it expects will be a surge in trade disputes.

"The Doha round talks are likely to end this year without any concrete results," said the ministry's subsecretary for economic affairs, Waldemar Carneiro Leao. "There is more unemployment, which has generated more protectionist and defensive measures, and negotiations have become much more difficult."