London: Western countries must reduce artificial agricultural subsidies and end the current regime of agricultural and textile protectionism, Lord Swaraj Paul, non-resident Indian (NRI) industrialist and ambassador for overseas British business has said.

Almost echoing India's stand, he said, "Some nations, who hitherto have been champions of the free trade movement, try sometimes to reverse this process in certain areas when the heat is on."

Participating in the debate on the House of Lords select committee report on globalisation on June 4 evening, Lord Paul said Britain should take a moral and political lead in ending the "current regime of agricultural and textile protectionism in much of the Western world.

"Such protectionism runs contrary to the spirit of free enterprise and free markets. More tangibly, it constricts the abilities of farmers and workers in much of the world to make a sustainable living."

He wanted Britain to take up the issue more vigorously at the next World trade Organisation (WTO) conference in Mexico in September. "I am delighted that the G-8 leaders in Evian have decided to attend to this issue. I hope they will do something definite about it," he emphasised.

Stating that he was born and raised in a developing country, India, Lord Paul said, "I know that people in developing countries are determined to improve their well-being and are happy with the globalisation process."

PTI