Delay in WTO boss election

Delay in WTO boss election

PHUKET, Thailand (Dow Jones): Economy ministers from the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations said Saturday they were
concerned over the delaying until this month of the selection of
a new head of the World Trade Organization.

"The ministers noted that the current general director's term
is scheduled to end in April 1999," the ministers, who are
meeting informally on this resort island, said in a news release.

"The ministers agreed that the selection process must be
completed in time and that it was in the interest of the WTO and
its membership that a timely decision be made," the statement
said.

ASEAN has officially endorsed the candidacy of Thailand's
commerce minister, Supachai Panitchpakdi, for the top WTO post.
The economy ministers said in the statement that they believed
Supachai had the strongest support among all candidates for the
job.

Current WTO Director General Renato Ruggiero's term runs out
this year.