World Trade Organisation Director General Pascal Lamy has called a short-notice full ministerial meeting in a bid to break the deadlock on the Doha Round of negotiations.
The proposal for the Ministerial Meeting will be put to the full WTO Membership in Geneva tomorrow, with a view to holding the meeting on July 21.
At that meeting, Australia will be supporting Mr Lamy's suggestions and will be urging other WTO Members to agree to his proposal.
"Calling a meeting is a bold call, but the right one," Trade Minister Simon Crean said.
"I have been urging this course of action for some time and in discussions again yesterday with Director General Lamy, conveyed to him my full support for this move."
Mr Crean says the decision by Mr Lamy means the world is now within reach of a breakthrough on the core of the Doha deal on agriculture, industrial goods and services.
"Although this decision is not without risk, it represents strong leadership," he said.
"The danger of inaction now is far greater than the risks of attempting to secure an outcome.
"If we don't secure a deal on these core areas of the Round now, the talks may drift for some time to come."
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