WTO's Lamy: might hold ministerial meeting in May

PARIS (Reuters) - World Trade Organisation chief Pascal Lamy said on Tuesday he might call a meeting of trade ministers in May to seek a broad deal on global trade talks.

"It is possible that this could happen in May. All the material is already on the table. It just remains for us to find a final compromise," he told reporters at a breakfast briefing in Paris.

Lamy said securing such a deal would send an important signal at a time of financial market turbulence and slowing world growth.

A breakthrough "would be a positive signal for the world economy at a time when it really needs it", he said, adding that it would show a capacity to act collectively.

"The financial crisis reinforces the feeling that the news about the global economy is more bad than good. In these conditions the temptation to have protectionist reactions is stronger so the collective anti-protectionist guarantee that the WTO represents has all the more value."

The Doha trade round was launched in 2001 to bring down barriers to exports around the world, give developing nations a better chance of fighting poverty and boost the global economy but talks stalled over sensitive farm and industrial issues.

Lamy's comments add to a chorus of voices expressing hopes of progress in the trade round.

A top U.S. official said on Monday negotiators are "very, very close" to resolving a handful of technical issues standing in the way of a ministerial meeting.