By Gary G. Yerkey The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.,
U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick suggested for the first time Sept. 25 that the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization--scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 9-13--may not take place as planned, citing security concerns in the wake of the terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon earlier this month.
"Obviously, the first imperative is security," he said.
Zoellick said that the WTO and the government of Qatar will be making an "evaluation" of the security situation as the date for the WTO meeting approaches.
"We're trying to do that with them," he said.
Keith Rockwell, a WTO spokesman, said Sept. 24 that no WTO country "in a formal way" has approached WTO Director-General Mike Moore about postponing the Doha meeting. "As far as we are concerned," he said, "the Doha meeting will take place as planned. The consensus is that we should go forward."
But the next director-general of the WTO--Supachai Panitchpakdi, who takes over from Moore in September 2002--said earlier Sept. 24 that the Doha meeting may have to be postponed for two weeks or a month because of the security situation. "If we need to do that," he said, "we will be given more time to work on the new round."
Zoellick, speaking at an event sponsored by the National Policy Association, said that "at this point" the United States, along with the European Union, were "committed to going ahead to launch the round at Doha." The momentum that has been generated to begin new trade talks in Doha, he said, would be "undercut if we're not able to do that."
"But the first step is security," he said.
Some trade diplomats have suggested that the Doha meeting may have to be moved, perhaps to Geneva, or postponed, especially if the United States were to respond militarily to the terrorist attacks (18 ITR 1421, 9/13/01).
Qatari officials Sept. 22 stressed their willingness and desire to proceed as host for the ministerial conference (see related report, this issue ). Qatar's Minister of Finance, Economy and Trade Youssef Hussain Kamel said in Doha Sept. 22 he had no reason to believe at this time that the ministerial in the Qatari capital would be postponed due to increased tensions in the Middle East arising from anticipated U.S. military retaliation to the terrorist attacks.
Officials, meanwhile, said that plans for the Doha ministerial likely will be high on the agenda of a meeting scheduled for Oct. 4 in Washington, D.C., between President Bush and Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
"The United States and Qatar share a broad range of common interests in the Middle East," the White House said in announcing the emir's visit Sept. 17. "The president looks forward to discussing bilateral and regional issues with the emir, including efforts to deepen our bilateral cooperation to promote peace and stability in the Middle East.":
