EU, US 'encouraged' by WTO services negotiations

(GENEVA) - Top trade negotiators for the European Union and the United States on Saturday said they were encouraged by world trade talks on the subject of services.

"Some interesting" offers were made by China and India during an afternoon session on the subject, said EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson after almost five hours of meeting with his counterparts.

"I heard some interesting signals from India, (a) couple of things from China, one in particular that I want to specify, to follow up," he added.

He did not detail the offers but added that he was "moderately encouraged by what happened this afternoon."

US Trade Representative Susan Schwab meanwhile described the session as a "positive step forward," and said that the "vast majority" of her counterparts felt the same.

"Whether it was the developed countries or the developing countries' participants, this conversation about services, the first really that the ministers have had together, was a good step forward, a positive step forward," she said.

Ministers from over 35 nations are in Geneva this week in a bid to conclude a global trade pact under the so-called Doha Round.

The talks, launched in the Qatari capital seven years ago, were on the brink of collapse earlier this week before what some described as a "breakthrough" on Friday evening.