Brussels, 07/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - In response to calls to Washington made this week by Australian Trade Minister Warren Truss and then by Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson (see EUROPE 9495), George W. Bush said on Friday 7 September that the United States was committed to the successful conclusion of the Doha Round, which is still being stalled by the agricultural issue. “Doha is a fresh opportunity to open up markets and help millions of people out of poverty,” the US president said in a speech given on the eve of the summit of leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) in Sydney. “The United States is committed to seizing this opportunity and needs partners in this region (Ed: the Asia-Pacific region),” he added. Assuring WTO member countries that his country had the “necessary desire and flexibility” to reach an overall agreement, Mr Bush called on world leaders to take the “tough decisions to reduce trade barriers”. Increased access to agricultural and industrial markets in other developed and emerging countries remains without doubt the main issue for the United States in the Doha negotiations. Washington expects the APEC summit to deliver the support of some of its members, like China, South Korea and Indonesia, in order to isolate the emerging countries of the G20 which are still resisting an agreement. A small group of countries has the power to “destroy the Doha Round,” said US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, accusing South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and India, in particular, of compromising Doha talks by refusing to make the fresh efforts necessary on reducing customs duties on agricultural and industrial products. Ms Schwab gave assurances that Washington was “starting to negotiate” on the basis of the Falconer/Stephenson draft proposals on modalities (see EUROPE 9471) and said it should be possible to “fill in the blanks” with specific targets for tariff reductions on the most sensitive products. (eh)