Germany says April talks on WTO trade deal possible

BERLIN (Reuters) - Ministers could meet in April to secure a possible breakthrough in the stalled Doha round of World Trade Organisation trade talks, German Deputy Economy Minister Bernd Pfaffenbach said on Thursday.

"The general view is that a conference of ministers could theoretically take place in April," Pfaffenbach told a small group of reporters in Berlin.

He added that this was not certain, but that the United States was keen to achieve a breakthrough on the talks.

During talks in the United States a few days ago, Pfaffenbach said he had got the impression "that the current administration has a strong interest in reaching a deal while it is still in office".

He added that U.S. President George W. Bush's administration believed it was capable of wrapping up the talks.

Pfaffenbach noted that Europe also wanted to reach a deal "but not at any price", he added.

Unless further concessions were made on reducing industrial tariffs, and barriers to service sector firms were removed, the Europeans would not sign up to an agreement, he said.

"We will negotiate hard," Pfaffenbach said.

The Doha round was launched in November 2001 to boost the world economy and help developing countries lift themselves out of poverty by exporting more.