US Treasury chief Paulson says WTO deal would ease food prices

BERLIN (AFP) — US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson pressed Tuesday for a breakthrough in the Doha round of WTO trade talks, arguing that an agreement would help contain surging food prices.

Paulson said after meeting here with German Economy Minister Michael Glos that he was "quite hopeful" stalled talks could get kickstarted at a meeting in Geneva on July 21, Dow Jones Newswires reported.

The meeting is a last-ditch effort to reach a deal before US elections in November and comes as France assumes the European Union presidency for six months.

Tension between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and EU trade chief Peter Mandelson has flared again after Sarkozy suggested that Mandelson and WTO head Pascal ...