WTO may shift meet

Agence France-Presse, Geneva

The possibility of transferring next month's ministerial gathering of the World Trade Organization (WTO) from Qatar to Singapore is being raised among some delegations here, even if the WTO's official position is unchanged, trade sources said on Tuesday.

The feasibility of holding the WTO conference in Doha in view of its proximity to the military action in Afghanistan was raised during a weekend meeting in Singapore of delegates from about 21 of the WTO's 142-strong membership, according to sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Ministers from Canada, the United States and South Africa raised the question during a dinner on Saturday, one source commented.

Singapore Trade Minister George Yeo acknowledged on Sunday that a number of countries including his own had been informally sounded out over whether they could step in and host the conference in an emergency.

The sources said other venues such as Mexico, or the Swiss ski resort of Davos, host to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, had been raised as possible alternatives.

A WTO official said on Monday that there had been "concerns expressed by delegations on the uncertainties of the security of the region", adding the dates for the conference of Nov. 9-13 were unchanged and preparations continued.

No WTO member has as yet formally asked for the event to be moved to Singapore. Such a request would have to be made to the WTO's ruling general council which must take a decision by consensus.

But sources underline that the matter is politically highly sensitive, as Qatar has undertaken a lot of preparatory work to get ready for the conference.