July 28, 2006	Friday	Rajab 1, 1427

PARIS, July 27: French Agriculture Minister Dominique Bussereau said on Thursday that the United States was “largely to blame” for the suspension of WTO trade talks, in an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro.

“The United States continued with their usual tactic, which involves making completely unrealistic demands without showing the slightest willingness to reform their own farm policies,” Bussereau said.

“This attitude is largely to blame for the blocking of talks,” he added.

The Doha round of World Trade Organisation talks, intended to boost trade to the benefit of poor countries, were suspended on Monday after six leading trading powers were unable to reach a crucial compromise on lowering tariffs and reducing subsidies.—AFP