Luxembourg, 26/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the Luxembourg Presidency warned of the risks of deadlock in negotiations on the Doha round. “Discussions on agriculture and 'ad valorem' tariffs are not concluded. On market access for industrial products, and on issues relating to the rules, we see a danger of deadlock”, the Council President, Nicolas Schmit, told the press on Monday, adding that at the informal dinner of trade ministers in Luxembourg on Sunday (during which Chinese textiles were discussed: see EUROPE 8935), the Twenty-Five sent out “a very clear message (…). The EU has a fundamental role to play in the resumption of negotiations on the Doha round”. He feels that “there are many possibilities to activate this relaunch”: a ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the OECD Council, in Paris next week; the meeting of the largest WTO countries already planned for China this July. “We must see how the EU can defend its own interests within an overall package, balanced between the planks on agriculture, industrial tariffs, services, rules and intellectual property”, said Mr Schmit, adding: “The EU wants to become the promoter of the interests of the most vulnerable developing countries (…). There is broad agreement within the EU to breathe new life into the Doha negotiations, there is also agreement to find alliances, first and foremost with the Americans, so that this relaunch becomes more concrete and allows us to reach a balanced agreement (…), to take shape before December's meeting in Hong Kong”.