Mandelson: EU will show some further flexibility

GENEVA (AP)-- Ministers from top trade powers will gather Oct. 19 to try to narrow differences on U.S. and European Union farm tariffs and subsidies, the main sticking point in World Trade Organization talks that aim to reach a wide-ranging agreement by the end of the year.

Officials from Washington and Brussels are expected, a day after U.S. President George W. Bush and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso pledged their mutual interest to opening up world trade markets for agriculture.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson returns to Geneva after winning a vote of confidence from EU governments Oct. 18, facing down France, which had demanded guarantees that he make no excessive concessions at the expense of French farmers.

"My task in Geneva is to reassure WTO partners that the EU remains firmly committed to this negotiation," Mandelson said. "The EU will show some further flexibility, indicating how we want to move forward on agriculture."