Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Saturday there was still a possibility that the failed Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) talks could be resumed.
"I remain optimistic about negotiations resuming," Lula told reporters after a ceremony with metalworkers in Sao Paulo.
He said an agreement can be reached within two months if differences between India and the United States are resolved.
"Something abnormal happened, in my opinion, during the Doha Round. We were so close to making an agreement and it didn't happen because of minor issues," the president said.
Lula added that he had discussed the issue with his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush by telephone and would also speak to leaders of China and India.
"I said to President Bush that it's not possible for people to just lie on the beach after so much work, after so much meeting and negotiation," he said.
The Doha Round of trade talks started in 2001 with the aim of reducing global poverty by giving developing countries more access to world markets. The latest negotiations, which started last month in Geneva, collapsed Tuesday.
Source: Xinhua
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