WTO may face another delay before picking new chief

Asian Economic News, April 19, 1999

BANGKOK, April 16 Kyodo

The World Trade Organization (WTO) may face yet more delay in choosing a new chief executive after the 134 members failed to agree on a single choice during a meeting Wednesday in Geneva, a Thai candidate for the post said Friday in Bangkok. "I am not confident the members can reach consensus by the deadline in the next two weeks," Supachai Panitchpakdi told reporters shortly after arriving in Bangkok on his return from the meeting. WTO General Council Chairman Ali Mchumo of Tanzania set a deadline to decide the WTO's next director general by April 30 when the current head, Renato Ruggiero of Italy, retires. Sticking to its tradition of using consensus to select the new director general, the world trade body will continue to avoid other means of choosing, including a vote, because that forces an agreement, said Supachai, who is Thailand's deputy prime minister and commerce minister. Competing with former New Zealand Prime Minister Michael Moore for the top executive job at the WTO, Supachai said 65% of the global trade body's members supported him, including seven countries from the European Union. The United States, which publicly supports Moore, has no objection if Supachai wins consensus, he said. But neither Supachai nor Moore could not achieve consensus Wednesday because some members have concerns about each of them. Supachai urged the countries that do have concerns to discuss issues with him openly. "The WTO director works for the benefit of all members. I am not a partisan person who prefers any particular issue or any group," he said. "All concerns can be settled in some way."