UK on WTO reform

[Chris Burford]

At 15:09 10/02/00 -0500, you wrote:
>[from the World Bank's daily clipping service]
>
>UK TO PUSH FOR WTO REFORM AT BANGKOK. Britain will continue pushing for
reform of the World Trade Organization at a United Nations conference this
weekend in Bangkok, encouraging talks on how to include other international
bodies in global trade talks, reports Dow Jones.  UK Trade Minister Richard
Caborn Thursday said he will reiterate the government's call for
consultative talks on WTO reform during the weekend ministerial UNCTAD.
<
>
>The talks, to be conducted by a group of third-party "eminent persons,"
should look at closer relations between the WTO and other international
bodies like the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the U.N.,
Caborn said.  The trade minister said there is room for closer cooperation
between these global institutions, but their responsibilities should be
divided up clearly to prevent the sort of failure that doomed the launch of
a fresh round of international trade talks late last year in Seattle..
>

Richard Caborn contributed many years to the Anti-Apartheid organisation in
the UK. Now doubt his position is reformist even if he would like it to be
less so. This present report gives few clues about what is being planned
behind these bland phrases except that they want a change.


>The Washington Times (p.A15) also reports, noting that Thai authorities
hope to stem possible demonstrations by giving activists an outlet for
their complaints at organized forums through which they can air their
concerns with officials from many countries.  "We will put the street
protestors into air conditioned discussion rooms," said a security official.
>

The counter tactic will sometimes be talks, sometimes the police. That is
why the global movement against finance capital needs struggle at all
levels, and needs to know the fine detail of what reforms are being pushed
in governmental forums.

Chris Burford

London