They agreed to issue a collective call to Iran to comply with United Nations demands to halt sensitive nuclear enrichment work, according to a declaration due to be issued at the close of the Asia-EU Meeting (Asem) in Hamburg.

European and Asian foreign ministers agreed to set a 2009 deadline to complete negotiations on a new international climate change pact to limit greenhouse gases, diplomats said Tuesday.

Under the agreement, which came during two-day talks here, Asian nations including China and India will not have to adhere to binding targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Instead, ministers outlined the responsibilities of richer and poorer nations in combating climate change, the diplomats said on condition of anonymity.

The meeting of the 40-some ministers, chaired by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, also agreed to coordinate the promotion of more sustainable energy use, the diplomats said.

But diplomats said the 27 European and 18 Asian nations were unlikely to send a similar signal to North Korea as an accord in which Pyongyang agreed to give up its arsenal hangs in the balance.

The meeting saw France launch a new drive to deploy an international force in Darfur to bring relief to a population battered by four years of fighting that has killed 200,000 people and displaced more than 2.5 million.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Paris was seeking international support to open a humanitarian corridor to the western Sudanese region through neighbouring Chad.

"It is only an idea so far, but it is worth it. It might work," Kouchner said after hour-long talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.