Britain on Thursday endorsed India's stand and said that at the World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in Cancun, Mexico, next week, a framework for substantial reduction in agricultural subsidies and import tariffs to bring economic benefits to all, including developing countries, should be drawn up.

The conference should also help developing countries secure better access to markets for their industrial goods, British Trade and Industry Minister Patricia Hewitt said in London.

"The rich countries of the world cannot preach free trade abroad and practise protection at home," Hewitt warned.

At the conference, Britain will also work towards flexibility in WTO agreements so that developing countries can implement them at a pace appropriate to their circumstances and finding a way forward on each of the so-called 'Singapore' issues -- trade, facilitation, transparency in government procurement, competition and investment.

Hewitt will lead the British delegation at the talks, where key issues have to be agreed by consensus of nearly 150 member countries to enable the 'Doha Round' to be concluded by the target date of January 2005.

The British minister is optimistic that the talks will be successful, but warned that failure will be disastrous, setting back the prospect of removing millions from poverty and even damaging the WTO.