10 May 1999

World Trade Organization in Disarray

The following article is from "The Journal of Commerce" edition of 10 May 1999.

Alejandro de la Pena of Mexico may have put it best the other day when he commented to reporters about the utter disarray at the World Trade organization over the choice of a new secretary-general: "We, the members, should be ashamed of the spectacle before us."

A trans-Atlantic trade war looms, and only six and a half months remain before a WTO ministerial meeting in Seattle to launch a new round of global trade negotiations. And yet the 134-member organization has found itself unable to agree on who will replace Renato Ruggerio of Italy at its helm.

Mr. Ruggerio departed on schedule when his term expired at the end of last month. The contenders to replace him are New Zealand Premier Michael Moore and Deputy Premier Supachai Panitchpakdi of Thailand. There's been no give in the two camps of supporters; the WTO General Council met four times last week without making progress.

Whatever the merits of the two candidates, their supporters have left the WTO in an unhappy situation. Its fractious inability to agree sets a poor example and a bad precedent at a time when tempers are flaring over far weightier issues and calm, thoughtful consideration is vital.