While acknowledging that a formal agreement was unlikely to emerge from the two-day World Trade Organization (WTO) "mini-ministerial" talks, officials said they hoped for new commitments to reach the outlines of a final deal.

"I expect that to be the signal coming out of here," outgoing WTO chief Supachai Panitchpakdi told AFP. "They probably won't be able to write down the formula, but the signals for the negotiators... should be there."

Kenyan Trade Minister Mukhisa Kituyi, the host of the meeting at this beach resort south of the port city of Mombasa, said he was looking for expressions of "political will" to move on key divisive issues.

"Now the hard work begins," he told participants, adding that he believed that when the talks end on Friday they would "have something concrete to present (to show) that we are capable of rising above what divides us."

Despite the mood of relative optimism, there were few signs either north or south was willing to budge in the substance of positions, particularly on agricultural subsidies that cratered negotiations in 2003 in Cancun, Mexico.

Although the so-called "Doha round" of trade talks got back on track in July 2004 -- in part because of a European Union pledge to consider ending farm export subsidies -- lingering tension on the matter was evident here.

Several hundred anti-WTO demonstrators with banners decrying farm subsidies were stopped by police from marching on the conference site and at least 15 were arrested, officials said.

"The developed world is killing third world farmers," read one sign. "Remove subsidies then we'll start talking," said another.

Earlier in the week, poor countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific demanded the issue take full precedence at the informal talks, warning that a failure to do so could lead to a repeat of Cancun when ministers from all 148 WTO members meet in December in Hong Kong.