Bush said his administration is "very much in favor" of the World Trade Organisation's "Doha Round" of talks moving forward, despite its collapse this week at an acrimonious meeting in Geneva.

"We think it makes a lot of sense. We think it makes a lot of sense for American workers that we open up markets," he said in a speech to the National Association of Manufacturers.

"We think it makes sense for people who are locked in impoverished nations that we open up markets. We think trade helps lift people out of poverty, that's what we believe. So we're strongly supportive of the WTO round."

Bush said he had directed his US trade representative, Susan Schwab, to stay "flexible" at the troubled WTO negotiations, "particularly when it comes to our agricultural subsidies".

"Look, I said to the world last September, we'll reduce them, just so long as our folks have got access to markets, that's all we ask. Just give us a chance to compete fairly," he said.

The WTO talks ran aground Monday on three major issues.

They are domestic farm subsidies provided by the United States, import tariffs levied by the European Union, and market access in developing countries for industrial goods and services.

Washington has come under fierce attack from the EU and from big developing countries for not giving more ground on its farming payouts.

But the Bush administration insists that others were offering nothing in return in terms of market access for US goods.

The WTO now faces an uphill battle to secure a Doha pact any time soon given a tough US political calendar, but Bush said "we'll continue to work on this agreement".

"My attitude is, we want to be treated fairly, and the American people and the American manufacturer and the American farmer can compete with anybody, any time, anywhere so long as the rules are fair," he declared.