EU sees no trade talks in Rio, wants progress soon

By Staff
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BRUSSELS, Aug 30 (Reuters) Trade ministers meeting in Brazil next month will not revive negotiations over the stalled Doha global trade round but key players want to get the process back on track as soon as possible, the European Commission said.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab are due to attend a meeting of ministers from the G20 group of leading developing countries in Rio de Janeiro on Sept. 9 and 10.

The meeting was called as a ''stock-taking summit'' after the World Trade Organisation suspended the Doha negotiations in July after trading powers failed again to overcome long-standing differences in the way of the round.

Mandelson considered the Rio meeting as a chance to exchange views with other important players in the Doha round, his spokesman Peter Power said.

''It will be a meeting for trade ministers to come together and talk to each other about where they see the process now. I don't think anybody seriously expects real negotiations to resume in the immediate (future),'' Power said.

''But everybody and certainly the European Commission is absolutely determined not to leave the talks in suspension for long,'' he said, adding Brussels was determined to get the negotiations back on track ''as quickly as possible.'' Hopes have been dashed that the round could be concluded this year ahead of the expiration in mid-2007 of U.S. President George W.

Bush's fast-track powers to approve trade deals.

Schwab said earlier this month it was too early to talk about extending those powers to give the Doha round more time.

Trade experts say the outcome of U.S. congressional elections in November will be important for the prospects of such an extension being granted by Congress.

If the Democrats capture Congress they are likely to insist on terms the White House could strongly oppose.

REUTERS PKS ND1842

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