United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has voiced concern over the effects of the collapse of the Doha round on the developing and poor countries, hoping the talks resume before the end of the year. 

Negotiations broke down as nations failed to reach a consensus on a safeguard that would allow developing countries to raise tariffs temporarily in the face of import surges and falling prices.

"Success was particularly important at this juncture when the world faces major development challenges, including climate change, poverty, increasing protectionism, limited progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals, and the fuel and financial crises," Ban Ki-moon said in a statement.

He said he is convinced that a successful conclusion to the talks was needed to energise international cooperation toward ameliorating conditions for developing countries to derive gains from trade and investment-led globalisation."

Conclusion of the seven-year long round of global trade talks would have helped boost livelihoods in poor and vulnerable nations and enhance the world's economy by eliminating market distortions and reinforcing trade governance, he added.

Regarding the global food crisis, Ban said that he has called on countries to reassess their policies regarding agricultural imports and exports. 

World Trade Organisation Director General Pascal Lamy said participants had reached agreement on 18 out of 20 topics.

The 19th subject of discussion - the agricultural safeguard - saw some countries calling for a tariff increase going into effect only in the event of a high "trigger," or large surge in imports, while others urging a lower trigger.

"What members have let slip through their fingers is a package worth more than $130 billion in tariff-saving annually by the end of the implementation period, with $35 billion saving in agriculture and $95 billion in industrial goods," Lamy said.

"With developing countries contributing one third and benefiting from two thirds of the overall gains this would be a true development round with a re-balancing of the rules of the trading system in favour of developing countries," he added.

The collapse of talks "is certainly not going to strengthen the multilateral trading system," the Director General said, but added that he hopes the current system is "resilient" and will be able to withstand the challenges that lie ahead.