[asia-apec 1170] NZ: WTO To Job - NZ Herald 29/06/99

[Gatt Watchdog]

NZ Herald, Auckland, 29/06/99

Job-share may end deadlock for Moore
By Warren Gamble

A compromise being brokered in Auckland for the deadlocked top job
at the World Trade Organisation could see New Zealand's Mike Moore
taking turns in the post with his Thai rival, Dr Supachai
Panitchpakdi.

The term-sharing arrangement, mooted in the past, is reemerging as
a frontrunner to break the lengthy stalemate for the
director-general's position of the powerful trade body.

The Australian Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fischer, is believed to
be behind the push at the Auckland meeting of Apec Trade Ministers
this week.

Last night, a spokesman for the New Zealand Minister of
International Trade, Lockwood Smith, said the proposal would be
looked at seriously, and could offer a way through the impasse.

The compromise could see both men serving terms of several years.
Former Prime Minister Mr Moore is likely to prefer holding the
post first to oversee the crucial millennium trade negotiating
round due to be launched at November's WTO meeting in Seattle.

Since arriving in Auckland on Sunday, Dr Supachai has for the
first time publicly signalled support for the proposal.  He said
yesterday that if WTO members agreed to such a concept he would be
happy to be part of it.

Mr Fischer would not talk about specific, saying he wanted to "see
these proposals work."  He would look for a "fair circuit-breaker"
during informal talks with other Apec delegations over the next
two days.

If there was wide agreement, it would be taken to the WTO council
in Geneva, which is scheduled to meet again to consider the
dispute in the next week or two.  The organisation has
traditionally elected its leader by consensus.

Australia has supported Dr Supachai for the job, saying before Mr
Moore entered the race its understanding was the next
director-general would come from a lesser-developed country.

Mr Moore's most powerful supporter, the United States,
significantly would not rule out considering a term-sharing
arrangement yesterday.

Mr Moore was refusing any comment yesterday, saying it would cause
too much confusion, but is understood to be continuing
behind-the-scenes lobbying in Auckland.
_______________________________________________________________________
Contenders work their corners in silent tussle
by Warren Gamble

In the home corner for the world trade leadership, Mike Moore, who
said nothing.

In the visitor's corner, Thailand's Supachai Panitchpakdi, who
said slightly more, but earned a new nickname: :"Dr Super-dry".

The marathon tussle for the director-generalship of the World
Trade Organisation moved to Auckland yesterday, but the two
contenders never got close to sparring.

Instead they were working their respective supporters' camps,
mostly behind the scenes, except for one unusually public meeting
between the Thai Deputy Prime Minister and his Australian
counterpart and old friend, Tim Fischer.

The two met by chance in front of the world's media in the
fishbowl mezzanine floor of the Carlton Hotel, and quickly
adjourned to the bracing climate of an outdoor balcony.

Reporters tried to interpret their animated gesticulations - were
they talking about a new way to break the impasse or where to find
a good lamb dinner?

Doorstopped by journalists afterwards, Dr Supachai confirmed he
would not pull out of the race, but gave more weight to a
potential compromise which would see him and Mr Moore sharing the
position.

Then he was back into an Apec seminar, where the WTO job is
strictly off the agenda.

Although he was not quite in the speaking form international
reports said had sent some of a distinguished Swiss audience to
sleep recently, the "superdry" name seemed to fit by the end of
his address.

Mr Moore, seen courting Asian officials at another city hotel, had
no hesitation when asked if he had a minute to talk: "You won't
need a minute because I'm not saying anything," he said, adding
that he wanted to avoid confusion during this week's Apec Trade
Minister's meetings.