"We are not afraid of being isolated or standing alone," said Nicolas de la Grandville, spokesman for the French representation to the EU. He said that France was making its case now to avoid having to use a "nuclear option" later.
Mandelson came under pressure from France after he offered subsidy cuts of 70 percent, up from 65 percent, in response to a US offer to cut subsidies by 60 percent and tariffs by 55 percent to 90 percent.
The US now wants Europe to agree to similar cuts in tariffs. But the European package envisages much smaller reductions.
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