So also is the position regarding the inclusion of investment and competition policy in the agenda in view of the sharp division between the US and the European Union on these two subjects. It will therefore be a "manageable" agenda, instead of an ambitious one demanded by the EU.

No "substantive" progress was made on the deliberations in the four working groups constituted on Monday. They relate to agriculture, implementation and rules, market access, and Singapore agenda and other issues, commerce and industry minister Murasoli Maran told reporters on Wednesday.

Indian officials were included in the working groups which were to come up with their reports for inclusion in the draft ministerial declaration to be adopted on December 3. US trade representative Charlene Barshefsky said that the rule to be followed in the Seattle meet was that "nothing is agreed until everything has been agreed and let us have consensus".

In this regard, Maran strongly maintained that India would not accept the findings of the working groups if decisions were taken "on our back and without prior consultation". India would also not be a party to any "manipulation" of the finding, he said.

Turning to President Bill Clinton's proposal made at the conference on setting up a working group on labour and environment, Maran said that it might represent a hardening of the US position on the subject adding that child labour also existed in the US.