France says Europe cannot go further in trade talks

BRASILIA, Brazil, May 25 (Reuters) The European Union cannot go any further than it has in world trade talks and the United States holds the key to their success, French President Jacques Chirac said today.

''Europe has done all it could do and should do and cannot go one step further,'' Chirac said at a joint press conference with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

''It's the United States that in reality holds the key to this problem.'' He said the G20 group of emerging market countries should put ''friendly pressure'' on the United States to ''become more reasonable on their completely excessive support'' of farm exports.

Reuters SI DB2316