Berlin  - US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and German Economics Minister Michael Glos expressed hopes when they met in Berlin Tuesday for a breakthrough in the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) talks in Geneva later this month.

Agreement in Geneva, where ministers from the 30 main trading nations meet in the week beginning July 21, would provide a positive signal for the global economy, Glos said following the meeting.

Paulson said a deal to further liberalize world trade would help to ease food prices on global markets by reducing trade barriers.

The two ministers expressed concern on high world crude oil prices and the consequences for the global economy.

Paulson said short-term measures would not help, calling for more crude to be pumped and for greater investment in opening up crude resources.

Glos said high energy prices were also affecting food prices. Greater energy efficiency was the best way to cheaper oil and natural gas, he added.

The WTO's Doha Round, which began in 2001, has become bogged down primarily over the agricultural subsidies provided by the United States and the European Union to farmers.

Developing countries, such as Brazil, maintain this is distorting world food prices. (dpa)