Bush Says He Will Press EU on Global Talks

President Bush said the flagging negotiations on an agreement to update rules of global trade were at a “critical moment,” and he vowed to use next week’s meeting with European Commission President Jose Barroso to spur things along.

In a speech to business leaders gathered in Washington to discuss global poverty reduction, Bush reiterated that he wanted the European Union to agree to steeper cuts in farm duties as part of the World Trade Organization talks, and for developing nations such as India and Brazil to reduce industrial tariffs.