The head of the World Trade Organisation said today it was feasible to reach an outline agreement in the Doha round of world trade talks by the end of June or the beginning of July.
"I think it's doable but I'm not sure it will be done," WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy said in a speech at a conference in Stockholm.
The talks, to boost the world economy and help poor countries export more, have been declared doomed many times.
"The mood is more protectionist than 10 or 20 years ago," Mr Lamy said.