Don't distract WTO

Overstretched and underpaid. That was how European Commission's vice-president, Sir Leon Brittan, described the people manning the fledgling World Trade Organization. Yet they will be asked to take on onerous new tasks to enforce labor standards, minimum wages, environmental protection and stamp out corruption, if the rich Western countries have their way. Going by what the European Union and the United States have to say on these issues, and the response from developing countries, they have a tough fight on their hands. ASEAN is resolutely opposed to the inclusion of "new issues" on the agenda of the inaugural WTO ministerial conference to be held in Singapore in December. And they have good reasons for taking this stand, because the attempts to include the so-called trade-related issues in the WTO's agenda is nothing but a prelude to more protectionism in the West.

What can be done to resolve the differences? A lot, if both sides put their hearts to it. These "new issues" are better resolved in other forums, such as the International Labor Organization, which can be beefed up for the purpose. Developing countries are not saying that there are no problems; they are prepared to discuss them, but not in the WTO. With its limited resources, the WTO should be focusing on the crucial task of liberalizing trade and investment rules, opening markets and fostering greater transparency.

-- The Straits Times, Singapore