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WTO chief designate: New trade talks round averts disaster
The agreement by the World Trade Organization`s 142 members in Doha, Qatar earlier this month to set up a new round of talks on trade disputes averted a
The agreement by the World Trade Organization`s 142 members in Doha, Qatar earlier this month to set up a new round of talks on trade disputes averted a "disaster," the WTO`s director general designate Supachai Panitchpakdi said late Tuesday.
"We have actually avoided the worst kind of disaster in Doha," Supachai said.
"If we had failed to agree on the talks we would be stuck with a system that is
highly controversial."
Supachai, who will succeed Mike Moore at the helm of the WTO in September 2002, told a business dinner that the onset of a global recession and the tragic events of Sept. 11 in the U.S. helped bring together member nations and overcome their differences to launch a new round of talks.
"It was a blessing in disguise," Supachai said of the terrorist attacks in the U.S. "That, coupled with the onset of global recession was a strong motivating force that drove people together in Doha and made the new round possible." Supachai said the new environment presented a unique opportunity to improve the existing world trade framework, as recent events marked a shift in the attitude of advanced nations and also helped tone down reactions by the anti-globalization movement.
"I believe this is going to be a long-term shift in attitude, while the anti-globalization process will also be in some kind of disarray for a while," he said.
The trade talks are expected to last until 2005 and focus on lowering tariffs on a wide range of industrial and agricultural goods and services, clarifying the organization`s antidumping rules and reducing red tape at customs offices.
Supachai said he hoped the new round wouldn`t last more than three years as existing disputes shouldn`t be allowed to linger for much longer than that.
"If we have a round that takes five, six, seven years to complete, we better not have it at all," he said.
He said disputes in the agricultural subsidies framework were very controversial as the European Union was still resisting phasing out agricultural export subsidies.
"We`ll be confronted with some very tough negotiations on this issue and we shouldn`t play down its importance," Supachai said.
He called on all WTO members including developing and less-developed countries to actively participate in the talks to ensure that a better system for all will come out of the new round.
Bureau Report
Supachai, who will succeed Mike Moore at the helm of the WTO in September 2002, told a business dinner that the onset of a global recession and the tragic events of Sept. 11 in the U.S. helped bring together member nations and overcome their differences to launch a new round of talks.
"It was a blessing in disguise," Supachai said of the terrorist attacks in the U.S. "That, coupled with the onset of global recession was a strong motivating force that drove people together in Doha and made the new round possible." Supachai said the new environment presented a unique opportunity to improve the existing world trade framework, as recent events marked a shift in the attitude of advanced nations and also helped tone down reactions by the anti-globalization movement.
"I believe this is going to be a long-term shift in attitude, while the anti-globalization process will also be in some kind of disarray for a while," he said.
The trade talks are expected to last until 2005 and focus on lowering tariffs on a wide range of industrial and agricultural goods and services, clarifying the organization`s antidumping rules and reducing red tape at customs offices.
Supachai said he hoped the new round wouldn`t last more than three years as existing disputes shouldn`t be allowed to linger for much longer than that.
"If we have a round that takes five, six, seven years to complete, we better not have it at all," he said.
He said disputes in the agricultural subsidies framework were very controversial as the European Union was still resisting phasing out agricultural export subsidies.
"We`ll be confronted with some very tough negotiations on this issue and we shouldn`t play down its importance," Supachai said.
He called on all WTO members including developing and less-developed countries to actively participate in the talks to ensure that a better system for all will come out of the new round.
Bureau Report