Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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April 15, 2007

World Finance Leaders Upbeat About Trade Talks, World Economy
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1712FB1:A6F02AD83191E1609C507876FEB776C99574F7DCC14957C0 British finance
minister Gordon Brown stresses urgent need to complete long-stalled
Doha talks Leading finance ministers comprising the International
Monetary Fund policy making committee Saturday stressed the importance
avoiding trade protectionism. VOA's Barry Wood reports on the meeting
in Washington of 24 economic decision makers from rich and poor
countries.







British Chancellor of the Exchequer and Chairman of the International
Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) Gordon Brown make speaks at
the IMFC press conferenceThe chairman of the meeting British finance
minister Gordon Brown stressed the urgent need to complete the
long-stalled Doha talks to expand world trade. Brown said officials
were encouraged by a message presented by the head of the World Trade
Organization, Pascal Lamy. "In these last few weeks first of all there
has been a formal agreement to resume the trade talks. Secondly there
has been a meeting of the group of four (U.S., EU, Brazil, India) in
Delhi-and that is the four major negotiators. And third Pascal Lamy
came today to the International Monetary and Finance Committee to tell
us that in his view it was possible to move quickly to a deal," he
said.

The meeting agreed that officials from China, Japan, Europe, the
United States and Saudi Arabia should continue to discuss ways to
remedy the trade and financial imbalances that many experts believe
pose a threat to global stability.

Separately the head of the World Bank continues to fight to retain his
job following the revelation that he may have improperly boosted the
salary of a bank employee with whom he was romantically involved.
Brown says ministers have not been preoccupied with the controversy
and that bank president Paul Wolfowitz is participating fully in the
meetings. "He has of course issued his statement of apology. Having
published the facts themselves, the (World Bank) board has to complete
its work. I think we've got to respect the board process," he said.

The Bush administration is standing behind Wolfowitz, who prior to
coming to the World Bank two years ago had been the U.S. deputy
secretary of defense and a planner of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.


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