Brian Fallow: Mystery surrounds trade deal talks

[unhappycamper]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11171039



Claims of potential 'landing zones' on most of the key outstanding issues leaves observers none the wiser

Brian Fallow: Mystery surrounds trade deal talks
9:30 AM Thursday Dec 12, 2013

As they emerged from their latest conclave in Singapore, groggy no doubt with fatigue, the trade ministers of the 12 Trans Pacific Partnership countries had no deal to brandish but claimed at least to have identified potential "landing zones" on most of the key outstanding issues.

Whatever that means.

Diplomats are past masters at finding a form of words to paper over chasms of disagreement. In this case "landing zones", with its peculiar echoes of paratroopers and combat, probably means no more than that the key issues are all still up in the air.

~snip~

It doesn't help that these meetings are conducted with all the secrecy of a papal election.

[dipsydoodle]

1. Probably means

they've worked out how to word it so's it could mean almost anything. Bit like the UN resolution on Libya.