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.