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Pascal Lamy, the director general of the WTO, says that when he talks to the "extended meeting" of the G8 conference, he will send a "strong message" to the G8 nation leaders to not allow the opportunity to achieve a trade agreement pass them by.

"My intention is to send them a strong message that we need their active support to achieve the successful and balanced outcome everyone is seeking," Lamy told the 150 member states of the WTO at a meeting in Geneva.

Lamy says that he believes the future of the entire multilateral trading system is at stake if there is no deal reached this time. In the past it's been almost impossible for the nations to come to an agreement.

Trade Commissioner for the EU, Peter Mandelson, added that the G8 leaders need to show "their clear and unambiguous commitment to reaching a multilateral deal in the WTO -- and making the tough compromises needed."

As usual, the talks have bogged down in the battle over tariffs and subsidies that are for the most part connected to agriculture.