Mexican farmers' trade plea rejected

The Mexican President, Vicente Fox, has rejected demands made by farmers' organisations to review the North American Free Trade Agreement, Nafta.

He defended the treaty saying it had been very positive for the country as a whole.

But Mr Fox promised to protect the most vulnerable agricultural sectors which are likely to be the worst hit by the lifting of tariffs on agricultural products at the start of the year.

Farmers have threatened to block roads on the border with the United States, saying the removal of tariffs would leave them at a competitive disadvantage compared to their US and Canadian counterparts.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service