Brussels, 05/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - During its weekly meeting, on 5 October, the Commission held a lengthy discussion on the multilateral trade negotiations less than 70 days from the WTO ministerial conference in Hong Kong, Spokesperson Françoise Le Bail said. On this occasion, the Commission reaffirmed that both its negotiators, Commissioners Peter Mandelson (trade) and Mariann Fischer Boel (agriculture), had the Commission's full backing, she said, giving her assurance that the “Union hopes to keep the same level of ambition as it has always had in negotiations as a positive round of talks would be beneficial for the world economy as a whole”. On Wednesday, the Commission recalled its attachment to balanced results in all fields of negotiation: agriculture, but also non-agricultural products (NAMA), anti-dumping rules, and trade facilitation and services. Ms Le Bail said the Union, which is willing to grant major concessions, is also very keen on concessions being made by its partners. She went on to recall that the Commission is working within the strict framework of the mandate conferred upon it by the Member States with which it remains in close contact, especially for the “most sensitive” of them. It is to be remembered that Mr Mandelson and his counterparts from some fifteen countries of the Union's partner countries at the WTO will be taking part at a ministerial conference on 10 October in Zurich to prepare the Doha meeting (EUROPE 9038). The conference in Hong Kong will be on the agenda of the Commission meeting scheduled for 15 November.