Brussels/Paris, 18/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - European Commissioner Pascal Lamy has told journalists in Paris that "consultations" were going ahead in Geneva over potentially moving the Fourth World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference, scheduled to tae place in Qatar, to another location following the 11 September events since Qatar is close to the epicentre of the military riposte. He said that his counterpart in Singapore, George Yeo, had made no secret of Singapore's "interest" in hosting the meeting, which will still take place on 9-13 November, but added that holding the meeting in Geneva in the event of escalation of violence has not been totally ruled out. Last weekend, the overwhelming majority of Ministers attending the Singapore mini-dress rehearsal echoed the concerns voiced by countries like the United States, Canada and South Africa in terms of not taking pointless risks by meeting in areas of rising tension. WTO sources signalled that the General Council can always convene the 142 member countries' ambassadors to decide on the question, and preparations were continuing as normal in both Doha and Geneva.