DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath urged the United States on Saturday to offer further cuts in trade-distorting farm subsidies so that the Doha Round trade talks could have a breakthrough.

    Speaking to reporters after an informal meeting of more than 20WTO members in Davos, Nath said the EU had made a new offer on cutting agricultural tariffs, moving toward the position of the G20 developing countries.

    He said he looked forward to a similar U.S. move, which means giving more ground on cutting domestic farm subsidies.

    Nath also reiterated that the Doha Round trade talks must keep its mandate of development and any final deal should ensure more trade flows from developing countries to developed countries.

    On the informal ministerial meeting, Nath said it was based on a "statement of good intent," and not on substantial numbers of tariff and subsidy cuts.

    He hoped that the Doha Round would have some breakthrough instead of going "round and round" once the full process started in Geneva some time later.

    The five-year Doha Round, aimed at helping poor countries development through fairer trade conditions, were suspended by WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy last July, after key WTO members failed to bridge differences on agriculture trade and market access.

    Saturday's meeting led to no substantial progress on key issues, but the ministers "clearly expressed a renewed commitment to put the Doha Round on track and to achiever abroad-based deal," according to a statement.

    The ministers also "expressed a strong wish for a quick resumption of full-scale activity in Geneva and discussed the prerequisites for taking advantage of the window of opportunity for making substantial progress."