KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said Friday that they will join hands to push the Doha Round to be concluded this year, according to reports reaching here.

    ASEAN and EU have agreed to renew and multiply their joint efforts in reaching an agreement on the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) this year, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said after the 8th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM)-EU Consultation in Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei, on Friday.

    Both ASEAN and EU would benefit from the conclusion of the multilateral trade round, he said.

    Malaysia's national news service Bernama said that ASEAN and EU are home to about one-sixth of the world's population and can help kick-start the long-stalled talks.

    The Doha Development Agenda of multilateral trade talks under the 150-member World Trade Organization (WTO), also known as the Doha Round, started in 2001, but have stalled with agriculture as major stumbling block.

    ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong said that the DDA should not focus only on the sensitive farm trading issue which would prevent the talks from reaching a conclusion.

    The DDA should also look at other issues, he said. ¡¡