US wants 'fair' WTO deal: Bush

WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush said on Thursday the United States remained committed to a balanced world trade pact that opens up foreign markets in return for cuts to US farm subsidies.

Bush said his administration is 'very much in favour' of the World Trade Organisation's "Doha Round" of talks moving forward, despite its collapse this week at an acrimonious meeting in Geneva.

"We think it makes a lot of sense, we think it makes a lot of sense for American workers that we open up markets," he said in a speech to the National Association of Manufacturers.

"We think it makes sense for people who are locked in impoverished nations that we open up markets, We think trade helps lift people out of poverty, that's what we believe, so we're strongly supportive of the WTO round,"

Bush said he had directed his US trade representative, Susan Schwab, to stay flexible at the troubled WTO negotiations, "particularly when it comes to our agricultural subsidies."

"Look, I said to the world last September, we'll reduce them, just so long as our folks have got access to markets, that's all we ask, Just give us a chance to compete fairly," he said.