SINGAPORE. Dec 11: A deal to free the world s telephone business and make calls cheaper appeared closer Wednesday as a string of countries indicated willingness to open their markets, reports AP

Ministers and experts from about 40 countries met on the sidelines of the conference of the World Trade Organisation to discuss liberalising the 513 billion dollars market

It was really quite encour aging", a senior trade official close to the talks said after wards

About 12 countries said they would lie making improved or new offers' to open up their telecommunications markets, he said

The deadline for the pact is February 15 and would cover such areas as telephone. fax and mobile services as well as data transmission.

It is separate from a deal on Information technology also being negotiated at the WTO conference.

Neil McMillan, who chairs the telecoms talks, told The Associated Press This Singapore meeting has l>een very good in giving a new pollti cal Impetus for people to move forward their offers on tele coms.

T think It should make us

all the more bptlmistk- about the outcome in February

South Africa. Egypt. Jamal ca and Barbados all told the meeting they Intended to make offers early next year And Indonesia, a key holdout so far in the talks, hinted ft too may lie prepared to sign on

We did not specifically table any offers but we gave some In dications that there will be a good meeting early next year, said Indonesian trade minister.

Singapore also weld Wednesday It Intends to further open its telephone and fax markets

Trade delegates said differ ences over International tele phone services and satellite services had been resolved.

"It does depend on the qual ity of the new offers to be tabled ' cautioned one senior trade delegate who declined to be named "But things are looking pretty good for February "

WTO nations have until February 15 to complete a deal The deadline was extended from April last year after (lie United States puffed out. complaining that market opening offers from other countries were Inad equate

Washington is especially concerned that many fast grow mg Aslan countries are refusing to open their markets.

Competition policy to be studied

AFP report says: Twenty five members of the WTO agreed Tuesday to launch a study of competition policy, one of the new areas being considered for global trade rules. a Japanese official said.

The official, who asked not to lx named said the agreement came during an unscheduled meeting of ministers chaired by WTO Director General Renato Ruggiero and Singaporean Trade and Industry Minister Yeo Cheow Tong

The meeting Included the quadrilateral grouping of the main trading powers. Canada, the European Union. Japan and the United States Other partlc Ipanta Included members of the Association of Southeast Aslan Nations (ASEAN) and India Pakistan Morocco Tanzania Norway and Switzerland

"The participants agreed in principle to launch a study ol competition policy under WTO auspices. Ilie Japanese official said

Competition policy is aimed at addressing private sector measures which can distort free trade and access to markets such as monopolies cartels and other anti competitive prac-