Brussels/Geneva, 11/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - During a negotiation meeting on he Doha Agenda, the US proposal to open up the World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute settlement meetings to the public has been rejected outright by developing countries since it would amount to trial by the media and thereby disturb the work of the panel members who are already under some pressure. At the end of the day, this would only be of benefit to rich countries who can invest in promoting their interests in public, argued representatives of Malaysia, India, Brazil and Chile (supported by newly industrialised countries like the Philippines and Indonesia). The dispute settlement panel is not a court of justice - its primary job is to contribute to negotiated solutions, they objected. Returning to an idea it put forward during the Uruguay Trade Round, the United States have suggested allowing civil society representatives and industry to attend meetings, except where confidential information is being discussed. Washington claims that trade disputes, like other inter-governmental disputes, would benefit from being more open to the public, who have a "legitimate interest" in following these proceedings. Last week, Senator Max Baucus (who chairs the influential Finance Committee) welcomed the idea, hoping for a proposal to restrict more "aggressive" proposals circumventing the WTO's capacity to reverse trade protection measures decided in Washington.