By DPA
Berlin : The leaders of the world's eight developed countries aim to give new impetus to the stalled Doha round of World Trade Organisation talks, according to a senior German government official speaking Tuesday on the eve of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm.
The Doha round needed a push, the official said under condition of anonymity.
The WTO's Doha round began in 2001, but differences over agricultural subsidies in the developed world and tariffs in the developing world on industrial goods and services caused an impasse that came to a head in Cancun in Mexico in 2003 and remain unresolved.
The German G8 presidency has expressed confidence that the three days of talks that start in the northern German resort Wednesday can provide renewed impetus to the talks.
The official noted that apart from the G8 – the US, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Canada, Italy and Russia – major developing powers, such as China, India, Brazil and Mexico were also invited for part of the proceedings.
On Friday, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy plans to join the talks.