US trade official says Obama administration committed to Doha Round

May 13, 2009, 10:20 GMT

Geneva - United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk said Wednesday that the administration of President Barack Obama was committed to concluding the Doha Round of trade talks, but gave no timeline for the conclusion of the negotiations.

'President Obama and I are committed to a successful conclusion to the Doha Round,' Kirk told reporters at the World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva.

'To us success means a balanced and ambitious agreement with meaningful market access gains for all involved,' he said.

The 'substance of the talks' would define the timeline, he added.

The Doha Round of WTO talks, which began in 2001, and has become largely stalled as a result of disagreement on some issues.

During his stay in Geneva which began on Monday, Kirk has met with various trading partners, including European Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton. The two had recently hammered out a temporary solution to a long-running dispute over the import of US beef treated with hormones.

Kirk stressed that the US saw a conclusion to the Doha Round as the best hope for the world's least developed and poorest countries.

The US was supportive of the development aspects of the Doha round, he said, adding that he did not believe the poorest should have to 'share the biggest burden' in the negotiations.

The US trade chief, who was appointed in March, called on the most advanced emerging markets, including China, India and Brazil, to allow better market access for the poorest countries.

He also said that for these countries there was an 'opportunity for leadership' at the WTO, while noting that it 'will take hard work and cooperation form all negotiators at the table to reach the successful conclusion we desire' to the talks.

Obama's administration is currently reviewing its trade policy, which Kirk said would ultimately lead to a 'holistic' approach.

Kirk has implied that the US would look into changing the way the negotiations are conducted, saying something different needed to happen in order for Doha to be completed.

On Russia, which is trying to gain ascension to the WTO, Kirk said that Moscow has 'made a U-turn' on some issues. He however, criticized its recent ban slapped on imports of North American pork following the outbreak of the new H1N1 influenza virus.

The World Health Organization and other agencies has said there is no risk of infection from eating properly prepared pork.