Mnuchin ‘insists’ agriculture was part of Trump, Juncker trade talks

WASHINGTON, July 29, (AFP): The US treasury secretary insisted Sunday that agricultural issues were discussed in President Donald Trump’s talks last week with Jean-Claude Juncker, contradicting the EU Commission president’s account of the negotiations.

“I was in the room and we had specific conversations about agriculture and the need to break down the barriers on agriculture and have more opportunities for our farmers,” Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday.

Trump had boasted on Thursday before an audience of farmers that “We just opened up Europe for you farmers.”

US farmers have been hard hit by China’s retaliatory tariffs on US imports, particularly soybeans, so it was important to Trump to shore up support in Republican-leaning farm states.

On Wednesday he moved to ease tensions with the European Union, declaring a truce on that front after meeting with Juncker.

Washington hopes that agreement will open another market for US agricultural exports. But on Friday, Juncker responded through his spokeswoman that agriculture was “not part of it.”

“When you read the joint statement ... you will see no mention of agriculture as such, you will see a mention of farmers and a mention of soybeans, which are part of the discussions and we will follow up that,” EU Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said.

Asked about the discrepancy, Mnuchin insisted: “We specifically talked about soybeans, but we specifically agreed we would look at these other markets and it was very clear that our objective as part of this whole agreement is the Europeans have to open up more opportunities for our farmers and our agriculture.”

Under the agreement, the US is lifting its threat to impose tariffs on European autos as long as negotiations are underway in return for Juncker’s promise that Europe would import more US soybeans and natural gas.

Meanwhile, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday said it was US President Donald Trump who initiated their unexpected kiss on the cheek this week, setting the mood for a meeting that led to a surprise deal to ease trade tensions.

In what may have been a world first for the US leader, Trump was pictured receiving Juncker’s trademark greeting of a kiss in the neck area when the pair met for highstakes talks at the White House on Wednesday.

“Surprisingly and in contrast to my usual behaviour, the initiative did not come from me,” the famously tactile Juncker told German public broadcaster ARD in an interview.

“And I didn’t know that there was another photographer in the Oval Office, but it actually summed up the ambiance of the moment well. And it was Trump who published the picture, not me,” he added.

Trump, who is better known for his macho, white-knuckle handshakes with world leaders, later posted the picture of the peck on Twitter, which received almost 50,000 likes.

“Obviously the European Union, as represented by @JunckerEU and the United States, as represented by yours truly, love each other!” he wrote.