The top US trade negotiator on Wednesday called for "changes to the process" of the long-standing Doha Round global trade talks so that a "balanced and ambitious" deal could be reached quickly among WTO members.

"We should all be willing to consider changes to the process that would put the negotiations on a more direct path to success," US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said following separate discussions in Geneva with WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy and a number of WTO ambassadors.

Kirk, who was appointed to the US top trade post in March, did not elaborate how the negotiating process should be changed.

But trade sources in Geneva revealed the Obama administration was pushing for giving up negotiations on so-called "modalities" -- the ways or methods for cutting tariffs and subsidies -- and going directly to bargaining on the levels and scopes of tariffs and subsidy reductions on a bilateral basis.

The Doha Round was launched in 2001 with an aim to help poor countries through trade openings. But attempts for a final deal have failed repeatedly due to sharp differences on the reduction of agricultural subsidies as well as farm and industrial tariffs.

Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, Kirk said the new US administration was still "committed to a successful conclusion" to the Doha Round, seeing it as a "critical component" of an overall worldwide response to the economic crisis.

But he acknowledged that it "will take hard work and cooperation from all negotiators" to reach a successful conclusion of the talks.

He declined to say what new concessions Washington intends to make in terms of cutting trade-distorting agricultural subsidies, but repeated calls for emerging economies such as India, Brazil and China to give ground in industrial market access.

However, the official acknowledged differences remain between the United States and those emerging economies despite his "frank, candid and useful" discussions with their ambassadors in Geneva.

"They all analyze and review the Doha Round from their own unique perspectives, but we will continue to press and make the case that we believe," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2009)