WTO OPTIMISTIC DELHI TALKS WILL HELP CONCLUDE DOHA ROUND

By P.VIJIAN

NEW DELHI, Sept 3 (Bernama) -- World Trade Organisation (WTO)
Director-General Pascal Lamy is banking on the Delhi talks, where several top
trade ministers are meeting, to move the stalled Doha-round trade negotiations
and meet the 2010 time-line.

"The meeting can be the real beginning of the end-game of the round. It
is an opportunity to map out how to bring the Doha round to an end in 2010.

"This discussion will be our focus," Lamy said during a talk on WTO and
Doha Negotiations here Thursday.

Given the current global financial climate, he said concerted multi-lateral
efforts were needed to make the Doha negotiations work.

Malaysia's International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapha Mohamed is
leading the Malaysian delegation to the talks in Delhi.

"Whether it is about transparent financial system, generating market access
for goods and services or facilitating trade, the efficient way to achieve these
goals remains in the multi-lateral Doha development round," said Lamy.

About 35 trade ministers are in the Indian capital to map out a new strategy
to kick start the Doha Round negotiations which had stymied since July 2008.
-- BERNAMA