*EPF209 07/16/2002
Text: U.S. Trade Officials Meet Incoming WTO Director-General
(Allgeier reiterates U.S. leadership in Doha negotiations) (360)

Two high-level U.S. trade officials have met with the incoming director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) says.

In a July 15 press release, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Peter Allgeier said that he and Linnet Deily, U.S. ambassador to the WTO, discussed a broad range of issues with Supachai Panitchpakdi of Thailand in advance of his taking office September 1 to succeed Director-General Mike Moore.

Allgeier and Deily are in Geneva attending a meeting of the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC), the group of high-level national officials overseeing the work of all the WTO negotiating groups.

Following is the text of the press release:

(begin text)

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Executive Office of the President
Washington, D.C.
20508
July 15, 2002

Statement by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Peter Allgeier

WASHINGTON -- The following is a statement today by Ambassador Peter Allgeier, Deputy USTR, after he and U.S. Ambassador to the WTO Linnet Deily met with incoming WTO Director General Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi in Geneva, Switzerland:

"This afternoon Ambassador Deily and I had a very good meeting with Dr. Supachai, the incoming Director General of the World Trade Organization. We agreed that trade is a powerful tool in helping to expand freedom, the rule of law, prosperity and sustainable development. We discussed a broad range of WTO and trade issues, from the current work on the Doha Development Agenda, including this week's TNC meeting, to the importance of building the capacity of less developed WTO members to participate fully in trade liberalization. The United States played a key leadership role in making Doha a success, and we assured Dr. Supachai that he can count on continued U.S. leadership as he assumes his new position.

"I also want to thank Dr. Supachai for his recent statements regarding the need for speedy approval of Trade Promotion Authority by Congress, and TPA's importance to furthering trade liberalization.

"We look forward to Dr. Supachai's tenure as WTO Director General and the wisdom and expertise he brings to this post."

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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