World Trade Organisation chief Mike Moore hopes to forge greater consensus on four global trade issues, including agriculture and free market access for the least developed countries, during his visit for the UN Conference on Trade and Development. Unctad secretary-general Rubens Ricupero said yesterday it was his understanding that Mr Moore would be coming to Bangkok with a "mini-package" of proposals for talks with representatives of developing nations. Mr Moore approached his designated successor Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi last month to help co-ordinate the informal meetings. Details of the talks and participants have yet to be formalised. Mr Ricupero said the mini-package is expected to touch on a number of issues which developing member countries of the WTO are unhappy about. One of the expected issues is the problems faced by some WTO developing country members regarding implementation of the Uruguay Round. Another issue is the free market access for Least Developed Countries (LDC), of which there are 48 members. A Foreign Ministry source said this would involve the introduction of zero tariffs for LDCs. Two other issues Mr Moore is likely to raise concern agriculture and how to improve and make more transparent the decision-making process of the WTO. Mr Ricupero said that since the Unctad meetings do not involve negotiations, the atmosphere is friendlier because there is no requirement to sign agreements. "It is a healing process that allows parties to talk without actual negotiations. In negotiations you are under pressure to make concessions."
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