Mandelson tensions flare as WTO talks loom

BRUSSELS – With a major WTO meeting looming, EU trade chief Peter Mandelson has accused French President Nicolas Sarkozy of “undermining” the European Union’s position in world trade talks.

The very public spat between the French leader and Europe’s British trade commissioner cast a cloud over the debut of France’s presidency of the European Union on Tuesday. It also exposed a lack of unanimity in the European Union on trade issues as the bloc prepares for crunch negotiations on July 21 in Geneva at the World Trade Organisation, where the bloc will be represented by Mandelson.Hitting back at Sarkozy’s most recent criticism of his handling of negotiations, Mandelson told the BBC: “I am being undermined and Europe’s negotiating position in the world trade talks is being weakened.””I regret the undermining of my own position at what is a very very crucial time in the world trade talks,” Mandelson said.”This is going to succeed or fail in the coming weeks …Our negotiating strength in Europe comes from our unity.”Sarkozy, who hosted EU commissioners in Paris to mark the start of the French EU presidency, said earlier that the media-savvy Mandelson would be loving the publicity stirred up by their disagreement.”This is someone I have known for a long time and (he) must certainly be delighted with (the) publicity, which I don’t hesitate to give him when I don’t agree with him,” Sarkozy said.The French leader has long been fiercely critical of Mandelson, accusing him of offering excessively generous concessions on farming in fraught global negotiations at the World Trade Organisation.The European Union is a heavy hitter in the WTO, accounting for nearly 20 per cent of world trade, and Mandelson – a cabinet minister in his native Britain when Tony Blair was prime minister – negotiates on behalf of all its 27 member states.The latest row was sparked by Sarkozy saying in an interview on Monday that he would block any WTO agreement that would sacrifice farm production on the “altar of global liberalism.”Both Mandelson and WTO director general Pascal Lamy – a Frenchman who was the previous EU trade commissioner – “want to make us accept a deal under which Europe would commit to cutting farm output by 20 per cent and reduce farm exports by 10 per cent,” Sarkozy told French television channel France 3.”That would be 100 000 jobs lost, I won’t let it happen,” he added.Mandelson’s spokesman dismissed the charge, arguing that Sarkozy’s figures were based on what would happen if Europe gave in to demands from developing countries, which he insisted Mandelson had not done.Nampa-AFPIt also exposed a lack of unanimity in the European Union on trade issues as the bloc prepares for crunch negotiations on July 21 in Geneva at the World Trade Organisation, where the bloc will be represented by Mandelson.Hitting back at Sarkozy’s most recent criticism of his handling of negotiations, Mandelson told the BBC: “I am being undermined and Europe’s negotiating position in the world trade talks is being weakened.””I regret the undermining of my own position at what is a very very crucial time in the world trade talks,” Mandelson said.”This is going to succeed or fail in the coming weeks …Our negotiating strength in Europe comes from our unity.”Sarkozy, who hosted EU commissioners in Paris to mark the start of the French EU presidency, said earlier that the media-savvy Mandelson would be loving the publicity stirred up by their disagreement.”This is someone I have known for a long time and (he) must certainly be delighted with (the) publicity, which I don’t hesitate to give him when I don’t agree with him,” Sarkozy said.The French leader has long been fiercely critical of Mandelson, accusing him of offering excessively generous concessions on farming in fraught global negotiations at the World Trade Organisation.The European Union is a heavy hitter in the WTO, accounting for nearly 20 per cent of world trade, and Mandelson – a cabinet minister in his native Britain when Tony Blair was prime minister – negotiates on behalf of all its 27 member states.The latest row was sparked by Sarkozy saying in an interview on Monday that he would block any WTO agreement that would sacrifice farm production on the “altar of global liberalism.”Both Mandelson and WTO director general Pascal Lamy – a Frenchman who was the previous EU trade commissioner – “want to make us accept a deal under which Europe would commit to cutting farm output by 20 per cent and reduce farm exports by 10 per cent,” Sarkozy told French television channel France 3.”That would be 100 000 jobs lost, I won’t let it happen,” he added.Mandelson’s spokesman dismissed the charge, arguing that Sarkozy’s figures were based on what would happen if Europe gave in to demands from developing countries, which he insisted Mandelson had not done.Nampa-AFP