Britain said on Friday it would consider a call from Brazil's president for world leaders to meet ahead of crucial World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks in Hong Kong this month. "We said to the president of Brazil we would consult on his proposal following the outcome of the G7 meeting this weekend," Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman told reporters.
With the Hong Kong talks due to start in less than two weeks, any such meeting would have to be hastily arranged.
"It will depend on the outcome of this weekend's G7 meeting and whether we believe that it is worthwhile, and obviously it will also depend on whether other governments think it is worthwhile as well," added, the spokesman, travelling with Blair in Hungary.
As Group of Seven finance ministers gathered in London on Friday, British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said all countries needed to work together to secure a world trade deal in Hong Kong.
Brown said he expected the weekend discussions to speed up the trade talks.
"I believe there is a chance for progress if countries worried about services and market access can make some concessions and America and Europe can look again at agricultural protectionism," Brown said.
Blair has made helping Africa out of poverty - with global deals on debt, aid and trade - a centrepiece of his 2005 chairmanship of the G8 group of leading nations.
But WTO talks have stalled as both the European Union and the United States are being pressed for more concessions on subsidies.
Diplomats say Blair has all but given up on significant further reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy as he seeks an accord on the bloc's future budget.
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