MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Doha round trade deal “within grasp” says EU, US and G20

U.S. trade representative Susan Schwab

A deal on the Doha round of trade talks could be reached within weeks and a summit of industrial and emerging countries this weekend must send a clear signal to achieve this, the EU top trade official said.

"With leadership and determination, a Doha deal is within our grasp as the details of a final agreement could be agreed within weeks," European Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton said after meeting her US counterpart Susan Schwab. US Trade Representative Schwab urged against retrenchment in market opening, a statement issued by the European Commission said. Countries must "move ahead with an ambitious and balanced Doha round that creates new trade flows and generates economic opportunities worldwide", said Schwab. From Brasilia president Lula da Silva was quoted saying he wants leaders of G-20 to re-launch the stalled global trade talks. "The president believes more trade opening is one of the best anti-cyclical measures we can adopt, it can be a powerful instrument to combat the crisis," Lula da Silva spokesman Marcelo Baumbach said. Lula da Silva who is acting president of the G20 believes it is important that the Washington meeting give a new impetus to the talks, Baumbach said in Brasilia. Leaders of the G20 group of developed and developing countries gather in Washington on Saturday to discuss the global financial crisis. US officials hope they will also endorse a strong statement to give the long-struggling Doha round a boost. "It's very important that the G20 meeting in Washington on 15 November send a clear signal to negotiators to achieve this objective," Ashton added in the statement. WTO Director General Pascal Lamy has indicated he could call trade ministers back to Geneva in December if there appears to be a good chance of reaching a deal. Key members of the World Trade Organization came close to a breakthrough at a meeting in Geneva in July but failed because of a sharp disagreement between the United States, India and China over details of a mechanism to protect developing countries from a surge in farm imports. Negotiations have advanced little since July.