EU's Mandelson welcomes Bush trade concession talk

PARIS, March 28 (Reuters) - European Union trade chief Peter Mandelson welcomed on Friday comments by U.S. President George W. Bush in which he said Washington was willing to make agricultural concessions to reach a new world trade deal.

Bush told a news conference on Friday that the United States was ready to give ground provided other countries opened their markets to more U.S. exports.

"It's about time," Mandelson told reporters after meeting French Prime Minister Francois Fillon.

"George Bush says that on the trade distorting subsidies operated by the United States and the export subsidies too the United States needs to make fair, reasonable payment into these negotiations," Mandelson said.

"I always said they would. The time has come for this to happen and I'm encouraged by what the president has said," he added. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; writing by Francois Murphy)