THE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE AND BRAZIL'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAID ON SATURDAY THEY EXPECT INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS AIMED AT UNFREEZING GLOBAL FREE TRADE TALKS TO BE HELD WITHIN FIVE TO EIGHT MONTHS, REUTERS REPORTED. THE MEETING IN RIO BETWEEN U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE SUSAN SCHWAB AND BRAZILIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CELSO AMORIM CAME ONLY DAYS AFTER WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION CHIEF PASCAL LAMY INDEFINITELY SUSPENDED THE SO-CALLED DOHA ROUND TALKS ON MONDAY. "BRAZIL AND THE UNITED STATES ARE LEADERS IN THIS EFFORT TO HELP REVIVE THE DOHA ROUND, AND WE SEE OUR MEETING TODAY AS THE BEGINNING OF A PROCESS THAT WE HOPE OUR COLLEAGUES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES WILL ALSO SUPPORT," SCHWAB TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE. THE G6 GROUP OF LEADING WTO TRADING PARTNERS HAS FAILED TO AGREE ON HOW FAR TO CUT FARM SUBSIDIES AND TARIFFS. AMORIM SAID HE SAW FIVE OR EIGHT MONTHS AS "A REASONABLE HORIZON FOR US TO TRY TO ADVANCE." HE ALSO EXPECTED A PREPARATORY, "MORE STRUCTURED ENCOUNTER OF SOME KIND" TO TAKE PLACE BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER. AMORIM PLEDGED TO TALK TO IMPORTANT DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY INDIA, TO CONVEY THE ESSENCE OF SATURDAY'S MEETING.
