SUNS4371 Wednesday 10 February 1999

Trade: Rossier to make new report next week on DG choice

Geneva, 9 Feb (Chakravarthi Raghavan) -- Swiss Ambassador, William Rossier is to make a new report to the General Council on 16 February on his "consultations", as a facilitator, for the selection by consensus of a successor to Renato Ruggiero as head of the WTO, trade diplomats said Tuesday.

After an informal meeting of ambassadors of some 20 or so key countries, trade officials said, Rossier is asking WTO members, specially the 40 or so delegations who have not communicated their views, to send him their responses by Friday evening this week, to enable him to make a report to the General Council.

The present incumbent, Renato Ruggiero is said to have made clear to some key delegations over the last few days, that he would definitely not be available for any new term or extension.

The diplomats said that while at one stage, the US diplomats appeared to have been privately suggesting that in the event of an impasse, and to facilitate the preparatory process for the Seattle meeting, Ruggiero could be continued, this is no longer seen as feasible.

After next week's regular meeting of the General Council, the next meeting is set for April 14. There is to be a special meeting of the General Council end of February, but that is related to the preparatory process for the 3rd Minister.

Trade diplomats are now saying that time is running out for the choice of a successor, but that Rossier both on the basis of new information provided to him, including reportedly change in positions of some countries, and other consultations, will make a report next week that could force the pace in choice of a successor to Ruggiero.

There is still an impasse over the selection process, with one of the candidates (or their backers) holding up the process, in the hope that this would persuade those, particularly the EU members, to take a decision that would be favourable.

The chairman of the General Council, Amb. John Weekes of Canada and Rossier have been meeting individually, and with a key group of nations, on the selection process.

After an informal consultation process Tuesday, trade diplomats said Rossier is posing the same three questions -- first and second preference choices and willingness to accept by consensus choice of a
candidate not in their preference. He is also asking those who have responded earlier, on any additional information or comments they would want to communicate to him.

It is not very clear whether the Friday evening limit to convey their views is a "deadline" (and a caution that those who don't shall ever remain silent) or an attempt to force the pace.

At the last report he made in January, Rossier had indicated, on the basis of views conveyed to him (with some countries not responding at all, and some others indicating they were still to make up their minds), that the Thai Deputy Prime Minister, Supachai was leading with 40 first preferences, followed by 23 for Morocco's Abouyoub, 15 for Canada's Maclaren and 13 for Mike Moore of New Zealand.

But on the basis of first and second preferences, Moore was said to have edged forward to the top with 26 votes, Supachai with 19, Abouyoub with 18 and Maclaren with five.

Suggestions that Rossier be asked now to build a consensus around a leading candidate is apparently meeting with resistance from those who think that one or the other rivals could be blocked, and thus put out of the race.