Brussels, Nov 12 - 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's 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 U.S. counterpart Susan Schwab on Tuesday.
U.S. 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", it quoted Schwab as saying.
Leaders of the G20 group of developed and developing countries gather in Washington on Saturday to discuss the global financial crisis. U.S. 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.
It was the first face-to-face meeting between Ashton, appointed last month, and Schwab, who leaves office on Jan. 20 at the end of U.S. President George W. Bush's second term.
The Doha round, which countries agreed to launch seven years ago, had an initial goal of finishing by January 2005.
Key members of the World Trade Organisation came close to a breakthrough at a meeting in Geneva in July. The effort 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, and Washington is also at odds with New Delhi and Beijing in the manufacturing portion of the WTO talks.
Many believe the Doha round could stretch on for many more years, unless there is significant progress before U.S. President-elect Barack Obama takes over from Bush.
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.