In separate speeches to the gathering of more than 300 government and agriculture industry experts, officials from the United States and Argentina, two major farm exporters, called for an aggressive agenda to open up markets.

But representatives from Japan and South Korea made clear their preference to maintain some protections to preserve what they called "the multi-functionality of agriculture".

Some functions, such as the conservation of farm land that might be lost to urban development, "cannot be realised in market prices," said Hisao Azuma, a former Japanese vice minister for international agricultural affairs.

Yong-Kyu Choi, director general of South Korea'sinternational agricultural bureau, said the upcoming talks should recognise the desire of some nations to preserve their traditionalrural culture and maintain scenic landscapes.

Both South Korea and Japan only reluctantly opened theirrice markets to a small volume imports in the last round of world trade talks, citing similar concerns about the preservation of traditional culture.

Having made that step, South Korea now has concerns aboutfood security if it becomes dependent on imports, Choi said.

Argentine Agriculture Minister Ricardo Novo argued thatgovernment programmes to preserve scenic landscape and rural lifestyles are only acceptable if they do not restrict trade.

In Argentina's view, the upcoming talks are "an opportunityto finalise the task of liberalising agricultural trade" that was begun in the Uruguay Round, Novo said.

That means slashing agricultural import tariffs, reformingthe administration of tariff-rate quotas that block imports and taking other steps to open markets, he said.

Agricultural export subsidies should also be "totallyeliminated" in the next round, Novo said. Such subsidies transfer the cost ofgenerous domestic farmsupport programmes in countries such as the EU to more efficient agricultural producers like Argentina, he said.

In separate speeches on Monday and Tuesday, neither U.S.Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman nor Assistant U.S. Trade Representative James Murphy mentioned "multi-functionality."

Aside from that, there was little difference between whatthe United States and Argentina outlined as goals for the next round of world agricultural trade talks.

Leonard Guarria, chairman and president of the WorldAgricultural Forum, said the group plans to hold a world Congress in St. Louis every two years.

In between, the group will hold regional meetings in Asia,South America, Europe and Africa, he said.

The inaugural Congress was marred by the absence of anymajor EU agricultural Minister, although EU Agricultural Commissioner Franz Fischler was invited.