World Trade Organization

WTO Chief Urges Rich Nations to Help the Poor

By Robert Evans BANGKOK, Feb 13 (Reuters) - World Trade Organisation chief Mike Moore suggested on Sunday the big powers should agree to open their markets wide to goods from the poorest if they wanted to win backing for a new round of global trade talks.

Peaceful Protest at UN Trade Meeting

By BUSABA SIVASOMBOON / Associated Press Writer BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Hundreds of police braced for a repeat of the violent protests that plunged Seattle into chaos last December were greeted instead by only a few minutes of pushing Saturday at the opening of an international trade conference in Thailand.

UN Chief Slams Leading Nations Over Their Role in the Global Economy

Agence France Presse BANGKOK, Feb 12 -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan Saturday launched an attack on the world's most powerful nations, saying they were responsible for the failure of last year's WTO talks and had impeded the development of poor countries.

Free Trade Not a Tool of the West

Bangkok Post WTO chief says poor nations will benefit Post Reporters "Globalisation is not an ideology, not a political theory, but economic evolution." - Mike Moore WTO director-general

Under Attack

THE LAWYERS WEEKLY / Vol. 19, No. 37 / By Norman MacInnes Profession threatened on many fronts, CBA head says Toronto -- Lawyers are under attack, "and no one's going to look after us but ourselves."

"Anti-Davos" Wants Free Trade Gains for Poor

By Chris Johnson BANGKOK, Feb 11 (Reuters) - A global summit in Bangkok this week will try to help the poor take advantage of the spread of free trade that some developing countries fear only benefits the rich, officials said on Friday.

UNCTAD to Help Rekindle Free Trade Talks

By Rajan Moses BANGKOK, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The head of a key U.N. agency said its weeklong summit starting this week in Bangkok would be a forum to get stalled global free trade talks moving.

Nations Ponder Globalization

By PATRICK McDOWELL / Associated Press Writer BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Spurred by a sense of crisis since the turmoil of the World Trade Organization summit in Seattle, some 180 nations are meeting in Bangkok this week to shape the global economy. But as leaders and ministers talk and ponder, globalization is happening a mouse-click, a share trade and a takeover at a time.

WTO""s Next Boss Optimistic of New Round

By Nopporn Wong-Anan BANGKOK, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The World Trade Organisation's next boss, Supachai Panitchpakdi, on Friday voiced optimism for a new round of global trade liberalisation despite the spectacular collapse of summit talks in Seattle late last year.

Annan Urges Debate on Free Trade

By DAVID THURBER / Associated Press Writer BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Thursday that an upcoming major U.N. conference should launch a new debate on how world trade can be made free and fair.