APEC ministers ready to restart WTO talks

LIMA, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Asian-Pacific ministers, meeting in Lima Peru, said they're ready to meet in Geneva for an early conclusion to the stalled Doha Round of free trade talks.

The ministers representing the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum said in a statement Thursday they "will step up our engagement with our partners as needed to urgently advance the negotiations, including being prepared to participate in a meeting in Geneva'' for an outline del by the end of the year, Kyodo news service reported.

''A strong agreement would demonstrate the ability of the international community to work together to bolster a deteriorating global economy," the statement said.

The 21-member APEC, which includes the United States, Japan and China, accounts for 60 percent of the world's gross domestic product.

The ministers stressed the need to expand trade and investment flows and resist any protectionist temptations resulting from the present global crisis.

The Kyodo report said the ministers' support for an early conclusion of the WTO Doha Round coincides with efforts in Geneva among officials of key trading powers to set up a ministerial meeting in mid-December.

The challenges facing the Doha Round include farm subsidies between the United States and emerging countries, most notably with China and India, which resulted in the collapse of the talks in July.