Ministers could meet within weeks to forge an outline deal in global trade talks, following the release of long-delayed revised texts that will provide the basis for final negotiations on farm and industrial goods. But success is not assured, trade officials said.

Crawford Falconer, who chairs the agricultural negotiations, said recent progress in the talks meant that only a “the handful of ‘big ticket’ political choices” needed to be left to ministers, such as the exact size of cuts in subsidies and tariffs, and the extent of exemptions and flexibilities for developing countries.