DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- The head of the World Trade Organization said Friday more effort is needed to reach agreement on easing trade relations with developing countries.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, WTO Director General Supachai Panitchpakdi said negotiations on the Doha Development Agenda need to be pushed forward by the summer, after facing several years of deadlock, the BBC reported.
The Doha Agenda seeks to liberalize trade with developing countries, while opening up market access in sectors like textiles, agriculture and services.
"Before summer we need to see some figures" and the outlines of a "balanced package" from member states in order to move forward, Panitchpakdi told the BBC.
Conceding that upcoming negotiations would be difficult, he said, "We've been pushed to the brink many times in the past."
In 2003, during a global trade summit in Cancun, Mexico, negotiations collapsed when developing countries vetoed a deal which they felt favored rich trade blocks like the European Union and the United States.
On Saturday, Panitchpakdi is expected to meet more than 20 trade ministers at Davos.
