The so-called Doha round of talks on cutting tariffs, subsidies and other trade barriers has been the key theme of a two-day Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) trade ministers' meeting due to conclude in Vietnam.

"Apec trade ministers will deliver a strong and credible message to advance WTO negotiations that goes beyond a political statement and offers specific proposals," said the host country's Trade Minister Truong Dinh Tuyen.

The Doha talks launched in the Qatari capital in 2001 have made little progress, with the United States and European Union accusing each other of making too few concessions, especially in the contentious farm sector.

Developing nations led by Brazil and India want both to make greater cuts, arguing that free and fair rules in agriculture would help them trade their way out of poverty if rich countries stopped propping up their own farm sectors.

The 149 members of the World Trade Organisation, whose head Pascal Lamy was at the meeting, have aimed to conclude the talks by the end of the year.

But trade officials have failed to meet an April deadline on agreeing on the details of tariff cuts and postponed it until July -- which a senior US trade official said Thursday may be the last chance to finalise a deal.

After the northern summer, the world would fast run out of time to finalise the cumbersome process of drafting a multilateral agreement, warned Assistant US Trade Representative for Agriculture Affairs Jason Hafemeister.

"Once you go past this summer its's hard to imagine putting it all together," he said.

The Bush administration in July 2007 looks set to lose its Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), which now stops the US Congress from picking apart legislation and forces it to accept or reject complete bills without amendments.