71.   Imports, meanwhile, continued to taper off after the surge that greeted massive tariff cuts in April.

72.   International air carriers, which offered hefty tariff cuts last year, have frozen discounts following a new Indian travel boom this summer.

73.   An accord in Singapore would also need agreement on a timetable for the introduction of tariff cuts, said Acting US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky.

74.   Customs officials cited by the China Daily attributed the size of the surplus to a tapering off of imports following the surge that greeted massive tariff cuts in April.

75.   Despite announcing the tariff cuts, Jiang stressed in his APEC speech that China opposed being pressurised into opening up its markets.

76.   EU Trade Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan also believes there is scope for accelerated tariff cuts, but the suggestion has encountered fierce resistance from France.

77.   EU Trade Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan called for an acceleration of tariff cuts agreed under the Uruguay Round to be included on the Singapore agenda.

78.   There was however no commitment to accelerating the programme of tariff cuts agreed under the Uruguay Round accords.

79.   Under such a menu, industrialised members could halve the period for phasing in tariff cuts or accelerate reductions in farm subsidies from six years to three years.

80.   It is the fourth round of tariff cuts announced this year.