WASHINGTON, Aug 27: A meeting between President George W. Bush and Asia-Pacific leaders early next month in Australia could help set the stage for a long-awaited world trade deal, a top US trade official said on Monday.

“We see this as an important opportunity” to push the Doha round of world trade talks to a successful conclusion, Deputy US Trade Representative Karan Bhatia said in an interview on the annual summit meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, which will take place Sept 8-9 in Sydney.

“This is a group of economies — and you really feel this when you’re in the room — that want trade. They want to see barriers broken down,” Bhatia said.At their past two meetings, APEC leaders highlighted the importance they place on a successful conclusion to the Doha round by issuing a separate statement on the negotiations.

They pledged last year to move beyond their current positions in order to reach a deal and called other members of the World Trade Organisation to reciprocate. —Reuters