WASHINGTON, Jan 9: Trade chiefs from the United States and the European Union expressed optimism for reviving stalled talks to liberalise global trade known as the WTO's Doha Round.

“There is fresh hope for the Doha round and we now have to build on that work,” EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said after meeting with US Trade Representative Susan Schwab.

The US trade chief expressed a similar view, adding that “if it's doable, (officials) want to get it done and they like to think it's doable.”

The meeting took place a day after Mandelson said in published remarks that the World Trade Organisation talks were on the brink of failure and will only succeed with the support of US President George W. Bush.

The WTO suspended the

so-called Doha Round in July last year after negotiators from six major countries, including the United States, EU, Brazil and India, failed to reach agreement after five years of talks.

—AFP