TOYAKO, July 9: World leaders at a summit of the Group of Eight industrialised powers voiced hope on Wednesday of a breakthrough in stalled talks to tear down global trade barriers.

World Trade Organisation head Pascal Lamy has called a meeting for July 21 of ministers from the main players to try to breathe new life into the long-running negotiations involving the 152 WTO member countries.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he believed Latin American powerhouse Brazil was “key to a deal”.

He said he had met Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the expanded G8 summit and agreed “at a time of global economic uncertainty and high food prices that we must open markets and boost trade rather than resorting to protectionism.”

”I believe that President Lula is now making possible a resumption of the negotiations as a whole and what has eluded us for months is now possible in the next few days,” Brown said, adding that he had also spoken to the leaders of countries including the United States, China and India on the issue.

Brazil and other developing countries have complained that agriculture proposals at the WTO do not open up markets enough, dimming prospects of a deal being reached this year.

But Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he had sensed at the G8 table “a fresh and renewed energy and resolve on the part of global heads of government to make the July 21 ministerial meeting work.”

He said a free trade deal could deliver “a real positive shot in the arm” for the faltering global economy.

Japan’s Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said the G8 had “expressed our concerted determination to support a successful conclusion” to the July 21 meeting.

A weak global economy and surging food prices gave additional impetus to efforts to break a deadlock in the WTO talks, amid concern that trade barriers are making it harder for food to reach the world’s poorest.

The July 21 meeting in Geneva aims to revive the Doha round of World Trade Organisation talks, which seek to create a new global agreement to remove barriers to trade and spur cross-border exchanges.

Brown said he had spoken with French President Nicolas Sarkozy “who said very clearly he was against protectionism that existed now both in Europe and the world and he called for Brazil to make possible a deal.”

The G8 leaders said in their final joint statement after three days of talks here that they were “strongly committed to using opportunities of globalisation for the benefit of our citizens and global growth.—AFP