Washington: President George W. Bush has said that the US was working with its European partners and countries like India and Brazil to nudge agreements on the contentious Doha round of trade talks that broke-off in a ngridlock in July 2006.

Talking to reporters after a meeting with Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt yesterday in Washington, Bush said the US was committed to achieving a world that trades more freely.

He also said that the US recognised that it has obligations to deal with its agricultural subsidies in order to move the Doha Round forward.

US Trade Representative Susan Schwab is committed to working with her European counterparts, as well as President Lula da Silva of Brazil and prime minister Manmohan Singh, the two countries that rallied the majority of poorer developing nations over a decade ago to hold firm for more equitable global trade.

Bush told reporters, "We believe that it''s possible, very possible that we''ll be successful. And so we''re moving forward optimistically on this issue."

Bush said he had also talked to about US'' desire to work with Europe, China, India, Japan, Australia and other countries about an international framework to meet three objectives -economic vitality and growth; the advance of new technologies; and, the effects that will have on reducing greenhouse gases.