[asia-apec 1262] Fw: WTO Director-Elect Moore: WTO Must Help Its Poorer Members

[APEC Monitoring Group]

>>From mritchie at iatp.org  Wed Aug 25 00:16:32 1999
>
>August 24, 1999
>Dow Jones Newswires
>Director-Elect Moore: WTO Must Help Its Poorer Members
>WELLINGTON (AP)--Mike Moore, who becomes director-general of the World
>Trade Organization next month, said Tuesday the WTO must allow its
>smaller and poorer members to play a greater role in the organization's
>efforts to promote free trade.
>In an interview, Moore said he has asked wealthy member countries to
>contribute to a support budget for the world's poorest nations.
>Such a move would allow them to fully participate in negotiations in
>Geneva, where the WTO is based, and in ministerial meetings such as the
>one scheduled in November in the U.S.
>"There are countries which feel they've been locked out...and they're
>right," said Moore. "I want to be their champion."
>Moore added the WTO would also contribute to the budget out of existing
>funds. "While I'm unbiased, as I must be, the poorer, the smaller
>economies need to have a down payment. They need to get results," he
>said.
>Moore said he particularly wants to help the 30 less fortunate states
>among the WTO's 134 members, some of which can't even afford to have a
>representative in Geneva.
>Nov. 30, the group's ministers begin meeting in Seattle, Washington, for
>talks aimed at rolling back trade barriers around the world in an effort
>to boost international prosperity.
>Moore, a former prime minister of New Zealand, fills the vacant position
>of WTO director-general Sept. 1. After a long, bitter debate the group
>chose Moore and Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi of Thailand
>as its new leaders. Both will serve three-year terms, with Moore's
>starting first.
>-
>Moore Chooses Developing Nations Meeting Over APEC
>-
>Moore said he would not attend next month's annual summit meeting by the
>Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Auckland, New Zealand,
>choosing instead to travel to a meeting of developing nations being held
>at the same time in Marrakech, Morocco.
>He acknowledged WTO officials haven't even finished putting together the
>agenda for their meeting in Seattle, adding only that agriculture and
>service industries are two areas that will be discussed, and refusing to
>speculate on the others.
>European Union states reportedly want to discuss 16 areas of world
>trade. APEC and other trade groups want a shortened agenda that can be
>completed within three years.
>The last WTO meetings, known as the Uruguay round, lasted seven years.
>"About the only thing we agree on is this round must be shorter than
>Uruguay. Some are even saying three years is too long," Moore said. Key
>issues for the Seattle talks include the implementation of major
>agreements from the Uruguay Round.
>Asked about China's long-term efforts to become a new member of the
>World Trade Organization, Moore said doing that in the next three years
>would be a "splendid achievement."
>When asked whether labor standards would be an issue at the Seattle
>round, Moore would only say the WTO will work more closely with the
>International Labor Organization and other international bodies such as
>the World Bank on Third World debt issues.
>He also said he would like up to five deputy director-generals to form a
>cabinet-style management team at the top of the WTO.
>
>Mark Ritchie, President
>Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
>2105 First Ave. South
>Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404  USA
>612-870-3400 (phone) 612-870-4846 (fax)
>mritchie at iatp.org     www.iatp.org
>