Job-share may end deadlock for Moore

By Warren Gamble

A compromise being brokered in Auckland for the deadlocked top job at the World Trade Organisation could see New Zealand's Mike Moore taking turns in the post with his Thai rival, Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi.

The term-sharing arrangement, mooted in the past, is re-emerging as a frontrunner to break the lengthy stalemate for the director-general's position of the powerful trade body.

The Australian Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fischer, is believed to be behind the push at the Auckland meeting of Apec Trade Ministers this week.

Last night a spokesman for the New Zealand Minister of International Trade, Lockwood Smith, said the proposal would be looked at seriously, and could offer a way through the impasse.

The compromise could see both men serving terms of several years. Former Prime Minister Mr Moore is likely to prefer holding the post first to oversee the crucial millennium trade negotiating round due to be launched at November's WTO meeting in Seattle.

Since arriving in Auckland on Sunday, Dr Supachai has for the first time publicly signalled support for the proposal. He said yesterday that if WTO members agreed to such a concept he would be happy to be part of it.

Mr Fischer would not talk about specifics, saying he wanted to "see these proposals work." He would look for a "fair circuit-breaker" during informal talks with other Apec delegations over the next two days.

If there was wide agreement, it would be taken to the WTO council in Geneva, which is scheduled to meet again to consider the dispute in the next week or two. The organisation has traditionally elected its leader by consensus.

Australia has supported Dr Supachai for the job, saying before Mr Moore entered the race its understanding was the next director-general would come from a lesser-developed country.

Mr Moore's most powerful supporter, the United States, significantly would not rule out considering a term-sharing arrangement yesterday.

Mr Moore was refusing any comment yesterday, saying it would cause too much confusion, but is understood to be continuing behind-the-scenes lobbying in Auckland.