WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk on Wednesday touted U.S. efforts to prove European support for aircraft manufacturer Airbus is illegal under world trade rules, but stopped short of declaring victory in a high-stakes trade legal battle.
"This agency has worked long and hard to make the case that the loans and other subsidies provided to Airbus are inconsistent with WTO rules," Kirk told Senator Richard Shelby, who one week ago said the European loan mechanism challenged by the United States "was ruled legal" by the World Trade Organization in a still confidential decision.
"The administration is not in a position to disclose publicly the content of the interim report in this dispute. However, I would like to clarify a few issues related to the claims the United States made," Kirk told Shelby.
(Reporting by Doug Palmer; Editing by Sandra Maler)