The economic leaders of the 21-member APEC economies adopted yesterday a statement calling for "an early and successful conclusion" of the Doha Round negotiations under the World Trade Organization.

The economic leaders "underline the crucial importance of the WTO rules-based, global trading system and their determination to bring the Doha Round to an early and successful conclusion," said the statement.

The statement was issued after APEC economic leaders wrapped up their two-day meeting in the largest city of Australia, amid widespread calls for the leaders to demonstrate political will to push the Doha Round talks toward successful conclusion.

The statement was a separate document to the final leaders declaration which was also issued yesterday, aiming to show the leaders strong resolve to achieve a successful conclusion of the Doha talks.

The Doha Round is "at a critical juncture", the leaders said in the declaration, noting "we have issued a separate statement setting out the urgent need for progress and pledging our commitment to work with renewed energy to deliver an ambitious and balanced result."

Launched in 2001, the Doha Round talks have come to a standstill because of differences between the US, EU, Brazil, India and other developing countries on eliminating trade barriers to agricultural produce and manufactured goods.

The WTO negotiations have resumed in Geneva last week to discuss draft texts aimed at ending the deadlock between developed and developing nations.

But analysts here said that the talks could be stalled again and even delayed for years unless all sides concerned demonstrate strong political will and flexibility.

WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy on Saturday said a global trade deal was now within reach but political leaders needed to give a "final push" to complete the current round of negotiations.

Lamy warned that the consequences of failure could be dire, saying protectionism historically had paved the way to war, and that poor countries would feel frustrated if the industrialized world continued to enjoy favor under the existing trade regime.

"Intensive negotiations have resumed in Geneva and we pledge the political will, flexibility and ambition to ensure the Doha Round negotiations enter their final phase this year," said APEC economic leaders in their statement.

The Doha Round negotiations offer unparalleled potential to create a better trading environment and to lower barriers to trade and to create a freer, fairer and more secure global market, the APEC leaders in their statement.

The leaders said that consensus will only be possible on the basis of an ambitious, balanced result that delivers real and substantial market access improvements for agricultural and industrial goods and for services. Real and substantial reductions in trade-distorting agricultural subsidies are equally important to reach such consensus, said the leaders.

Dubbing the Doha Round "a once-in-a-generation chance," U.S. President George W. Bush told APEC business summit here Friday that the U.S. has both the will and the flexibility to help conclude a successful Doha Round.

"The United States is committed to seizing this opportunity -- and we need partners in this region to help lead the effort," he said.

APEC accounts for nearly half of the world's trade, and its members include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, China's Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.