Moore opts for invisibility at trade meeting

By Audrey Young

political reporter

Mike Moore is anxious that his contest with Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister to head the World Trade Organisation does not muddy the Apec trade ministers' meeting in Auckland next week.

Both he and Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi will attend Apec functions.

"The best thing I can do is probably be slightly invisible," Mr Moore said yesterday. "I do not want the work of Apec in any way confused with this 'local difficulty.'"

A chipper Mr Moore returned to New Zealand yesterday for the first time in two months of campaigning for the Geneva-based job.

He said any lobbying for the WTO post during the Apec meeting would be kept at an informal level.

The two bodies were separate, he stressed.

The WTO administers trade agreements and settles disputes among its 134 member-countries; the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum is a regionally based body of 21 economies to promote free trade.

Mr Moore made a passionate plea for New Zealanders to support Apec.

"I can't think of any country on Earth, other than perhaps Singapore, that needs customers more than we do. How can New Zealanders wear all their own wool, eat all their own meat and drink all their own wine?"

He said he would do anything to support the Government over Apec.

Mr Moore was circumspect about his chances of landing the WTO post.

"Every time I've made a prediction I've been wrong. It's never the last gasp. It's very difficult work. The stakes are high."

But a Foreign Affairs deputy secretary, John Wood, told a select committee yesterday that he was confident Mr Moore would slowly win through.

A two-week break in deliberations in Geneva would give WTO nations a chance to reflect on whether it was time to reach a consensus.

"I believe that the organisation is slowly but inevitably going to draw the conclusion that we have to decide from the current two candidates.

"In that circumstance, I believe it can only go one way - in favour of the New Zealand candidate."

Despite WTO chairman Ali Mchumo recommending four times that Mr Moore be appointed, Dr Supachai has refused to withdraw.

Thailand challenges Mr Mchumo's belief that Mr Moore has the support of 80 countries, a figure garnered in private sessions with ambassadors.

A visiting Thai minister, Supatra Masdit, told the New Zealand Herald this week that Thailand was concerned about the process, not winning at any cost.

Thailand had already achieved visibility from the contest, she said.

"We don't mind if Supachai gets it or not, if the process is transparent."