BRASILIA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The foreign ministers of India and Brazil Monday called on developed nations to end their farm subsidies and open their agricultural markets to free competition.

    "Those subsidies that distort trade should be drastically reduced," visiting Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said at a joint press conference with his Brazilian counterpart Celso Amorim.

    The current difficulties in the world economy have made it "more urgent than ever for a successful conclusion of the Doha Round of world trade talks," Amorim said.

    France Monday announced that 20 European nations had rejected the latest World Trade Organization proposals for a global trade deal, saying that plans to cut import tariffs and subsidies threatened European farmers.

    The Doha Round of global trade negotiations was launched in 2001 with the aim of bringing down trade barriers to promote development. The talks have been stalled due to major differences on agricultural and non-agricultural market access.