14th September: Is it me or can you hear a rather large woman singing?14 September 2003
Well the developing world decided it has had enough and walked out. Not just one or two countries, but lots of them. Good for them. Good for us all.
Too many feel strongly that their needs have been ignored for too long. In the press conferences after the talks collapsed, the head of the Ecuador delegation called this "historic". She said:
We cannot be globalised without fairness....We cannot continue to go on with our eyes closed saying 'It's alright.' It's not alright...These people are getting lost.
Another delegate was asked if this would "undermine the negotiations in a big way". He said it marks a "change in the tone and quality of the negotiations" to come. About time. This marks a change in the balance of power, and however big or small that may be, it is a change for the better.
US Trade Representative Zoellick struck a rather different tone, saying, "This was always going to be a close run thing." He called what he saw, "engaging in tactical rhetoric," and that "it would be a shame if the UN model" was used in an organisation that had run just fine, or so he says, for 50 years based on consensus. When asked if he thought it was time for fundamental review and revision of the system that had seen two major collapses in less five years, he said, "Seattle was different."
He did, however, predict, "We're going to keep opening up markets one way or another." Is that a threat? Or a promise?
Anyway, as you can imagine there's a drink or two in the offing, so I'm off. I'll try to get you some nice snaps and load them up asap.
Cheers!!
Eve
Eve Mitchell, our Corporate Globalisation Campaigner is sending daily updates direct from WTO Ministerial.
