Cancun (Mexico): The five-day ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) begins on September 10 to find a common ground on contentions issues like farm subsidies, as India stepped up attack on the United States and European Union (EU), accusing them of being responsible for depressing farm prices in developing countries.

A 60-member Indian delegation led by Commerce Minister Arun Jaitley arrived in Cancun on September 9 for participation in the meeting with a mandate from Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to safeguard national interests.

India is expected to oppose any move to bring in investment and competition rules into the work programme of the WTO, besides attempts by the US and EU to bulldoze their way in the tough agriculture negotiations.

Shortly after landing in Cancun, Jaitley did some plain speaking, saying high domestic support and export subsidies in industrialised nations depressed farm prices and hurt poor farmers in the developing countries.

Strong domestic support and export subsidies in developed nations have placed tremendous curbs on the export of farm goods by developing nations, which had been blocking progress on other fronts in the WTO.

A large number of anti-globalisation activists have descended on this beach resort to protest against free trade and growing trade and corporate domination.

PTI