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Clinton, Barshefsky Press for China Trade Status Vote

WASHINGTON, Feb 16 (AFP) - President Bill Clinton on Wednesday turned up the pressure on Congress to move quickly with a vote to accord China normal trade ties, describing the measure as "a huge national security issue."

WTO Chief: Real Free Trade Is Best

By NAOMI KOPPEL Associated Press Writer BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Appealing to rich nations to open up their markets, the chief of the World Trade Organization said today that aid handouts cannot help the poorest countries as much as selling goods in real free trade.

WTO Chief Defends Globalisation

BBC News The head of the World Trade Organisation, Mike Moore, has defended the global trading system, saying it should benefit the interests of all countries regardless of their wealth. "We must make this system better and fairer for the poor as well as for the rich," he told the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) in Bangkok on Wednesday.

United Nations Launches Capacity-Building Task Force on Environment, Trade, and Development

Bangkok, 15 February 2000 --- The UN Environment Programme and the UN Conference on Trade and Environment are launching here today a new Capacity Building Task Force that will assist developing countries in integrating their trade, environment, and development policies so that they are mutually supportive of sustainable development.

UNCTAD Tells NGOs to Fight it out with Governments

By Ranjit Dev Raj BANGKOK, Feb 15 (IPS) - Non-government organisations (NGOs), itching for a showdown at the UNCTAD X conference here, sobered up after they were advised that the real fight was between them and the elected governments in their home countries.

Hundreds of Thai Farmers Oppose Free Trade in Agriculture

The Associated Press BANGKOK -- About 500 Thai farmers were cited as demonstrating peacefully outside a U.N. trade conference Tuesday to, according to this story, protest the liberalization of agricultural trade and use of genetically modified crops.

EU Considers WTO Action Over U.S. Steel

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union said on Tuesday it was considering launching a World Trade Organization (WTO) case against the United States over a U.S. move to impose punitive tariffs on steel imports. In a statement, the EU's executive Commission voiced serious concerns about the U.S. measures, announced last Friday, calling them unjustified.

US Official Leaves Brazil, Steel Feud Unresolved

By Axel Bugge BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil protested U.S. steel import barriers on Tuesday, threatening to take the case to the World Trade Organization (WTO) after U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley failed to resolve the issue in a one-day trip to the Latin American giant.

Disputes Delay World Trade Talks

By DAVID THURBER | Associated Press Writer BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Prospects for a rapid resumption of world trade negotiations weakened Monday with differences between rich and poor nations remaining wide at a U.N. trade conference.

Thai Minister Tells NGOs "Don""t Destroy" WTO

By Robert Evans BANGKOK, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Thai Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi, due to become head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in two years, on Monday urged anti-free trade activists not to destroy his job before he takes it up.