Brussels/Geneva, 30/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission supported "without reservations" the decision by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to hold the next ministerial conference of the 140 in Qatar. In fact, despite the wave of protests that this candidacy - single - raises and continues to do so, the General Council of the organisation formally confirmed, this Tuesday, that the session - 4th of the kind after the memorable experience of Seattle last December 1999 - will unfold from next 5 to 9 November in Doha, capital of the Persian Gulf Emirate. "What is most important is to draw lessons for Seattle, not only in terms of politics, but also organisation", commented the European Commission spokesperson, thus recalling the requirement for "complete, external and internal transparency", both from the point of view of the participation of the WTO member countries, as from the presence of the press and non-governmental organisations. "We have received assurances and very strong undertakings in this direction from the Quatrains and the WTO", he added.
Nevertheless some are more sceptical, such as the European Greens who rallied, on Tuesday, the demonstrators, by fear of possible aggression from the Doha regime against the demonstrators, when taking into account the "serious" attacks on freedom of expression and association already denounced by the American State Department (see EUROPE of 27 January, p.8). This choice, "by default", "shows that democracy and trade are uncomfortable neighbours", felt the group, which deducted that "despite the rhetoric of public legitimacy, the WTO is really all about business as usual with no regard for the social and human rights context within which global trade takes place". Adding: "If the WTO seriously hopes to launch a new inclusive development round in November, it has chosen a most unpromising venue."