Letter: The trade game

TRADE SHOULD be a mutually beneficial exchange of goods or services. Instead the World Trade Organisation is backing a scheme offering the rich the power to obstruct mutually profitable trade ("Gates offers ministers for sale at world trade conference", 22 August). Poor countries cannot even get a place at any discussions over breakfast, let alone "preferential seating placement" at a dinner with heads of states, since 30 of them are unable to afford to rent accommodation in Geneva. Trade is benefiting the rich, not the planet. Perhaps the WTO should drop the word "world" from its name.

JOHN D ANDERSON

Baildon, West Yorkshire