Brussels, 02/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 2 July 2008, the European Commission rejected the figures quoted by the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, in his disagreement with EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson about the World Trade Organisation's Doha trade round (see EUROPE 9694). Peter Mandelson's spokesman, Peter Power, explained that the idea that a WTO agreement on liberalising farm trade would lead to a 20% cut in EU farm production and a loss of 100,000 jobs in the industry was 'a false assumption'. 'These figures (Sarkozy's, Ed.) are based on the assumption that we are adopting hook, line and sinker the proposals put on the table by the G20 group of countries, which is not the case and never will be the case. We have not agreed to these, and we will never agree to the full demands of the G20. We are in discussion, we can agree to some,' he explained, adding: 'According to the Commission, the latest WTO proposals for freeing up farm trade would cause a 1.1 percent drop in EU agriculture production and a 2.5 percent fall in employment in the sector by 2014'. In an interview with the BBC on 1 July 2008, Peter Mandelson, who had not attended a dinner organised by the French Presidency in Paris, accused President Sarkozy of 'undermining' the European Union's position in world trade talks. 'In trade negotiations as in any other domain, our negotiating strengthen in Europe comes from our unity,' explained Peter Mandelson. He said he wanted a balanced agreement that was fair for everyone, including the EU and that was what he was negotiating. Mr Mandelson added: 'I regret the undermining of my own position at what is a very crucial time in the world trade talks.' Nicolas Sarkozy tried to play down the issue, saying that disagreements were not banned in the EU and it was because people did not discuss enough that they could not get people to understand what was at stake in the EU. Europe has to escape from the straitjacket of 'pensée unique' that meant that people gave up before they even entered discussions. Sarkozy said he had known Peter Mandelson for a long time and said the Trade Commissioner must be delighted with the publicity that Sarkozy was giving him by disagreeing with him. Before a dinner in Paris which Peter Mandelson was unable to attend, Sarkozy said that the Trade Commissioner must have a very busy timetable. Sarkozy added that he would have been delighted to have one of his English friends share a meal with him but it would have to wait for another time. (E.H.)