Cancun, Sept 10: Developing countries representing more than half the world's population raised the stakes on Tuesday on the eve of crucial global trade talks by demanding rich states slash lavish subsidies to their farmers. The demand reflects the determination of poor nations to wrest power from the United States, the European Union and other rich countries within the World Trade Organization, setting the stage for a tense five-day meeting in the Mexican beach resort of Cancun.

As 4,700 delegates from 146 countries strove to forge alliances before the talks, about 1,000 political activists protested outside the city's main hotel zone, which was sealed off for a time with 8-foot high barriers.
Waving hammer-and-sickle flags of the former Soviet Union and black anarchist flags, the protesters screamed anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans, but there were no clashes with the 200 riot police deployed.
About 10,000 Mexican peasants are expected to stage a demonstration on Wednesday, the opening day of talks aimed at paving the way for an agreement by the end of next year to lower global barriers to trade in goods and services. Bureau Report