Brussels, 18/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - As the Doha talks enter a crucial phase in the run-up to 30 April, when 150 WTO member countries are expected to have finalised their arrangements (figures and other provisions) on the agricultural and manufactured goods chapters (EUROPE will come back to this), President Bush announced on Tuesday that Susan Schwab had been appointed as US Trade Representative. Ms Schwab takes over from Rob Portman (who is to become Budgetary Affairs Director at the White House), whom she has seconded since November 2005. Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson commented: “I have very much enjoyed working with Rob Portman and I shall be sorry to see him go from this post. (…) We will of course manage without him, but at this stage in the Round, it would have been easier to manage with him”.