The Doha round of trade talks, launched in Qatar in 2001, was intended to address the liberalization of international agricultural and industrial markets and the service sector, but has hit continual problems over the reluctance of European countries and the United States to cut subsidies.
"We urge all parties to work with utmost urgency for conclusion of the Round by the end of 2006, to strengthen the multilateral trading system and provide an important boost for the world's economy," G8 leaders said in a statement adopted in St. Petersburg.
"The Round should deliver real cuts in tariffs, effective cuts in subsidies and real new trade flows," the statement read.
G8 leaders also expressed regret that the talks on trade liberalization in Geneva on June 29 - July 1 had failed to yield consensus between WTO member countries.
