WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk on Wednesday touted U.S. efforts to prove European support for aircraft manufacturer Airbus is illegal under world trade rules, but stopped short of declaring victory in a high-stakes trade legal battle.
'This agency has worked long and hard to make the case that the loans and other subsidies provided to Airbus are inconsistent with WTO rules,' Kirk told Senator Richard Shelby, who one week ago said the European loan mechanism challenged by the United States 'was ruled legal' by the World Trade Organization in a still confidential decision.
'The administration is not in a position to disclose publicly the content of the interim report in this dispute. However, I would like to clarify a few issues related to the claims the United States made,' Kirk said in a letter.
However, if Kirk was reticent to characterized the WTO decision as a U.S. victory, Senator Patty Murray was not.
'This ruling is much more than a confirmation that Airbus has been breaking the rules. It is a victory for American workers who have been producing the best planes, but have been fighting an uphill battle,' the Washington Democrat said in a speech on the Senate floor.
Murray, whose state is home to Boeing's biggest manufacturing facilities, said she has urged President Barack Obama 'to take the strongest possible actions to prevent European governments from providing Airbus further with an additional illegal trade-distorting subsidy.'
(Reporting by Doug Palmer; Editing by Sandra Maler) Keywords: USA EU/AIRCRAFT (doug.palmer@thomsonreuters.com; +1 202 898 8341; Reuters Messaging: doug.palmer.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
'This agency has worked long and hard to make the case that the loans and other subsidies provided to Airbus are inconsistent with WTO rules,' Kirk told Senator Richard Shelby, who one week ago said the European loan mechanism challenged by the United States 'was ruled legal' by the World Trade Organization in a still confidential decision.
'The administration is not in a position to disclose publicly the content of the interim report in this dispute. However, I would like to clarify a few issues related to the claims the United States made,' Kirk said in a letter.
However, if Kirk was reticent to characterized the WTO decision as a U.S. victory, Senator Patty Murray was not.
'This ruling is much more than a confirmation that Airbus has been breaking the rules. It is a victory for American workers who have been producing the best planes, but have been fighting an uphill battle,' the Washington Democrat said in a speech on the Senate floor.
Murray, whose state is home to Boeing's biggest manufacturing facilities, said she has urged President Barack Obama 'to take the strongest possible actions to prevent European governments from providing Airbus further with an additional illegal trade-distorting subsidy.'
(Reporting by Doug Palmer; Editing by Sandra Maler) Keywords: USA EU/AIRCRAFT (doug.palmer@thomsonreuters.com; +1 202 898 8341; Reuters Messaging: doug.palmer.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
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