At this writing, the WTO meeting is in mid-session. Not since the Vietnam War protests have so many thousands of Americans joined to voice their concerns and clamor for inclusion in negotiations that affect their lives. Washington state Governor Gary Locke proclaimed a state of emergency after environment and labor demonstrators blocked streets and delayed the opening of official proceedings. Seattle Mayor Paul Schell requested the assistance of the National Guard. Police used tear gas, pepper spray gas, rubber bullets and paintballs to clear key intersections and to push back crowds. The common charge from the 40,000 protesters be they engineers or teachers, farmers or environmentalists, is: WTO sponsored “trade liberalization is lowering standards for environmental protection, public health and food safety.”
On the agenda: forest products, chemicals, medical equipment and scientific instruments, environmental goods, energy, fish, gems and jewelry, and toys. David Roberts, international economist at BancAmerica, expects the WTO talks to conclude with an amorphous statement that leads to a new round of global trade talks where negotiations will move toward a new global agreement in three to 10 years. Roberts thinks the protesters achieved one of their main goals: “They’ve put their foot in the door and won’t go away. The process will incorporate and accommodate these issues.”
Below are some of the best resources to follow the WTO meeting and learn about the issues:
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Daily online news: “World Trade Observer”
Environment News Service: [sorry this link is no longer available]
Monday December 6, Internet Chat: “Perspectives on the World Trade Organization Conference.”
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