Reuters / By Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The World Economic Forum on Tuesday revealed the line-up for its annual meeting of political and business leaders in Davos, and denounced "professional trouble-makers" expected to demonstrate against globalisation.
Organisers of the 31st annual event at the Swiss ski resort said they had full confidence in Swiss police, who are mounting a huge security operation for the January 25-30 gathering.
Japan's Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, Israeli cabinet minister Shimon Peres, Mexican President Vincente Fox and Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica are among the political heavyweights expected to take part.
Local authorities have banned all protests and called in police reinforcements from across the country to avoid a repeat of anti-globalisation protests that turned violent last year.
Shops and cars were attacked in street clashes while U.S. President Bill Clinton addressed the world's "movers and shakers" in the fortress-like Davos conference centre.
Anti-WTO Coordination, a Berne-based group which rejects dialogue with both the Forum and World Trade Organisation (WTO), has called a demonstration in Davos for Saturday, January 27.
Claude Smadja, managing director of the World Economic Forum, put a brave face on the security issue during a news briefing at its walled headquarters overlooking Lake Geneva -- protected by roadblocks, guard dogs and police patrols.
"It is an issue which is in the hands of the legitimate authorities of the host country. And we are quite confident because we know they are professionals," he said.
"If there is any disturbance, we might have some problem with logistics in Davos or one session running late or something like that. But the real damage will not be to the World Economic Forum," he added.
"The real damage would be to Switzerland, to the image of Switzerland, to the image of Switzerland as a democratic country able to uphold the values of a democratic society."
LIKE BEES TO HONEY
Riots in the U.S. city of Seattle in December 1999 marred WTO ministerial talks which failed to launch a new round of global trade negotiations, while clashes disrupted the European Union's summit in the French town of Nice in December.
Protesters opposed to increasingly pervasive economic and commercial links that span the globe also clashed with police in Prague last September during annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.
Smadja said: "What is absolutely striking is the extent to which today...every high-profile international event -- like bees to honey -- attracts activists and professional trouble-makers of all kinds who want to use these events as platforms to attract media attention.
"That is what happened in Seattle, that is what happened in Nice, and what undoubtedly will happen at President (George) Bush's inauguration next Saturday."
In Davos's informal setting, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and other political leaders will rub shoulders with central bankers, corporate chiefs and officials from financial institutions including the World bank and IMF.
European ministers expected include French Finance Minister Laurent Fabius, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and Finance Minister Hans Eichel, Spain's Economy Minister Rodrigo Rato and Russian Vice Premier Alexei Kudrin.
Russian central bank governor Viktor Geraschenko and EU trade commissioner Pascal Lamy are also among the 3,200 participants.
Africa is better represented than ever before, with the presidents of Nigeria, South Africa and Senegal attending. The Emir of Qatar and Saudi Arabia's oil minister are among top Gulf personalities.
Some 36 non-governmental organisations are to take part.
Two other groups, the Declaration of Berne, a human rights group, and Friends of the Earth will stage a "counter- conference" in Davos, a series of rival events highlighting the negative side of globalisation which they say excludes grassroots society.
No officials from the administration of President George Bush, being inaugurated on Saturday, were expected. But Smadja said the Forum was trying to set up video conferencing facilities to link up with top Bush administration officials.:
