Bush pledges to try to revive Doha trade talks

MIAMI, July 31 (Reuters) US President George W Bush pledged on Monday that his administration would do ''everything we can'' to get the Doha round of global trade talks back on track, after negotiations collapsed last week.

''Our government is strongly committed to a successful outcome of the Doha round,'' Bush said at a Coast Guard facility in Miami.

''The problem is that some others aren't committed.'' The United States and the European Union have traded blame for the halt to the nearly five-year push for a trade deal, which had been billed as a once-in-a-generation chance to boost growth and ease global poverty.

After last-ditch talks in Geneva failed to reach a breakthrough, World Trade Organization chief Pascal Lamy last Monday called an across-the-board halt to the discussions.

''In order to make sure they don't break down permanently, I asked US Trade Representative Susan Schwab to continue to work with her counterparts, to continue to discuss ways for the United States to be flexible, particularly on agricultural subsidies, and for our counterparts to be flexible,'' Bush said.

''We'll do everything we can to get Doha back on track,'' he added.

Washington had said it was willing to reduce the 20 dollars billion it spends on farm subsidies but wanted greater access to agricultural markets in the European Union and India in return.

Reuters SKU GC2103