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BUSAN, South Korea, Nov. 18 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH PRESS BRIEFING BY S. KOREAN FOREIGN MINISTER BAN)

Leaders from the 21 Pacific Rim economies prodded the European Union during their summit talks in Busan, South Korea, on Friday to show flexibility in the embattled agricultural negotiations under the World Trade Organization, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon said.

In a press briefing on the first day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum leaders' summit, Ban quoted summit chair President Roh Moo Hyun of South Korea as saying, ''There were comments that a proactive and flexible response from the EU side regarding agricultural subsidies is now needed.''

Negotiations at the 148-member WTO have reached an impasse, due mainly to sharp differences in the agricultural sector. The European Union has drawn a barrage of criticism from other key players such as the United States, Brazil and India as its offer for cuts in tariffs and subsidies for farmers is less ambitious than other proposals.

Pessimism has been growing over the chances of striking an accord on a comprehensive trade liberalization package with specific numerical goals at the Dec. 13-18 WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong, which is necessary if the Doha Round is to be successfully concluded by the end of 2006 as scheduled.

''The leaders here are sending out a very strong message that they will do their best for the successful negotiations of DDA,'' Ban said. DDA stands for the Doha Development Agenda, another name for the current round of WTO talks.

''We are basically saying now the ball is in Europe's court and asking for a very active and flexible attitude in negotiations from the Europeans,'' the foreign minister said.

During the leaders' meeting, U.S. President George W. Bush expressed U.S. resolve in eliminating agricultural export subsidies and Roh said in concluding the session that Bush ''received most support from leaders,'' according to Ban.

The leaders of the regional body, whose trade volume accounts for nearly half of all global trade, are expected to urge developed WTO members to eliminate all types of export subsidies by 2010 in their statement to be issued Saturday exclusively on the WTO talks.

Ban said leaders of Canada and Australia even said that the text of the separate statement ''must be strengthened to convey a stronger message,'' but that Roh sought their understanding on the difficulty of drastically changing the text. The two nations are major food exporters.

The leaders termed the outcome of the Hong Kong meeting ''a road map'' to the successful conclusion of the Doha Round and emphasized that major issues including liberalization of trade in goods and services, improving trade rules and promoting development ''must achieve a certain level of resolution'' at the December talks, Ban said.

''It will be a very long time before we have the opportunity to make progress and we might lose momentum in negotiations if we don't do something at the Hong Kong meetings,'' Ban said of APEC leaders' views at the briefing.

On the second day of the summit, the leaders will compare notes on security issues, including the regional responses to avian influenza, counterterrorism methods, energy security amid surges in crude oil prices, anti-corruption measures and ways to tackle natural disasters.

The leaders are set to propose a package of measures to avert a bird flu pandemic. The disease has killed more than 60 in Asia since late 2003.

APEC consists of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, South Korea, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.