In an effort to salvage troubled world trade talks, the United States and European Union today pledged to try to develop a common position on divisive agricultural issues by mid-August.
"The two main trading blocs have to lead by example and find the common ground," EU Farm Commissioner Dr Franz Fischler said at the end of an informal three-day meeting of 25 trade ministers from both rich and poor countries.
The United States and the EU have been at loggerheads in negotiations on agriculture in current world trade talks, known officially as the Doha Development Agenda.
Both sides showed some signs of movement at the meeting this week. But deep differences on the scope of proposed cuts in domestic farm spending, export subsidies and agricultural tariffs remain, raising questions about how much progress the two sides can really make in the short time left.