Brussels, 24/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - In the belief that last week's diplomacy was still desirable and possible if an amiable agreement with the US government were to be achieved on the subsidies affair involving Airbus and Boeing aircraft manufacturers, without having to go through the WTO's disputes settlement panel, the European Commissioner for trade Peter Mandelson showed increasing firmness with regard to Washington on Monday afternoon, when he addressed the European Parliament international trade committee. Mandelson accused Boeing of pushing Washington into a conflict with the EU on public aid for aircraft construction. He stated that judging by the evidence, they would go to the WTO if the USA decided to shoot first, with Boeing actively campaigning in this sense. He described Airbus's US rival as clearly calling the shots in this manoeuvre, in a reference to recent threats by the US government to take the EU to task in Geneva if Airbus obtained aid for launching its future A350 programme to compete with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner (EUROPE 8950).