Moore first in line for term-sharing at WTO

By Warren Gamble

A shared term heading the World Trade Organisation won more high-profile backing yesterday, but a solution to the leadership deadlock seems to hinge on whether New Zealand's Mike Moore can go first.

Mr Moore is not commenting on the option pushed at the Apec Trade Ministers meeting in Auckland, but is understood to be waiting for a detailed proposal and feedback from the WTO community.

Although the job-sharing plan got more support from Australia and New Zealand yesterday, with indications that the United States and Japan were at least willing to discuss it, there remained sticking points.

The former Labour Prime Minister is believed to want the first turn to take the 134-member body through the millennium trade negotiating round, starting later this year.

A suggested three-year term each for Mr Moore and his Thai rival, Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi, is unlikely to be long enough for the round to conclude, and the New Zealander would not want to hand over the reins midway.

For his part, Dr Supachai, the Thai Deputy Prime Minister, said in Bangkok yesterday that term-sharing was the best solution if there was no other way out, but all WTO members would need to agree.

He did not state a preference for going first or second, although diplomats in Thailand predicted haggling over the second term, which could be influential in securing reappointment.

In one of his last statements as Australian Deputy Prime Minister before stepping down yesterday, Tim Fischer said Australia supported the shared term "of three years each or something more."

The Minister for International Trade, Lockwood Smith, described it as a constructive proposal.