MOORE TRIES TO PUT WTO TALKS ON SERVICES BACK ON TRACK

MOORE TRIES TO PUT WTO TALKS ON SERVICES BACK ON TRACK    Mike Moore, director general of the World Trade Organization, has met government officials and ambassadors from countries that belong to the trade body to try to put WTO talks back on track.
   Moore’s consultation follows the failure of the December ministerial conference of the WTO in Seattle, when governments were scheduled to discuss potential liberalization measures in services, including in maritime and air transport.
   “I’ve now spoken to several dozen ministers since Seattle and can clearly see how we can get momentum in Geneva,” Mike Moore said.
   Since the beginning of the year, the head of the WTO met government officials from the Indian, South African, Norwegian, Dutch and British goverments.
   On Jan. 17 and 18, Moore was in Brussels holding talks with Pascal Lamy, the European Union Commissioner for trade. On Jan. 19 and 20, he traveled to Washington to meet U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman and Deputy Treasury Secretary Stuart Eizenstat.
   The WTO said that the meetings are an effort “to build confidence and prepare the organization for future action.” The WTO is “committed to negotiations in agriculture and services,” it added.