The United States and Britain are optimistic World Trade Organisation members can reach a long-sought agreement soon in the Doha round of world trade talks, the two country's leaders said on Monday.
"The president and I are one in seeking an early conclusion to a trade agreement," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said at a joint news conference with Bush at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland. "We agreed that contact between leaders will be stepped up so that we are ready to quickly finalise an agreement in the near future," Brown said.
Negotiators have been seeking to overcome a long-standing impasse over farm and manufacturing trade to reach a new world trade deal, which aims to lower trade barriers and bring developing countries into the world economy.
Brown said he had spoken in recent days with leaders including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and World Trade Organisation boss Pascal Lamy.
Bush told reporters he also was optimistic an agreement in the nearly six-year-old talks was within reach. Brown understands "that if we're really interested in eradicating poverty, it's important for us be successful in the Doha round," Bush said. "Gordon Brown brought some interesting suggestions on the way forward. He's optimistic that we can conclude the Doha round, as am I," the president added. The Doha round of trade talks was launched in 2001 in Qatar.