ASEAN opposes WTO talks

ASEAN opposes WTO talks

YANGON (DPA): Southeast Asian chambers of commerce have
expressed their joint opposition to holding a new millennium
round of trade talks at the World Trade Organization (WTO) at
year's end, news reports said Friday.

"Economies in the region are still in the process of
restructuring and recovery," said a statement by the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations - Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(ASEAN-CCI), explaining their opposition to the proposed WTO
millennium trade talks.

The private sector group also expressed strong support for
Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi in his bid
to become the next WTO director general, and "reiterates that the
selection process to fill the position must be transparent and
quickly resolve the issue".

Thailand has claimed that certain Western nations have
unfairly blocked Supachai's candidacy for the WTO post and are
lobbying for his rival Mike Moore, a former New Zealand prime
minister.