Decision on New WTO Chief Expected Friday
Thursday May 12, 9:49 pm ET
By Sam Cage, Associated Press Writer
Decision on New WTO Chief Expected Late Friday; Lamy and Perez Del Castillo in the Running
GENEVA (AP) -- Negotiations on the next leader of the World Trade Organization have ended, and a decision is expected to be made public late Friday, trade officials said.
Just two candidates -- Pascal Lamy of France and Carlos Perez del Castillo of Uruguay -- were still in the running.
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Kenyan Ambassador Amina C. Mohamed, who heads a three-member panel at the center of the selection process, is expected to tell delegates later Friday which of the two has the highest level of support among the WTO's 148 members, the officials said.
In two previous rounds of consultations, mediators said Lamy had more support from WTO members. Two other candidates -- from Mauritius and Brazil -- withdrew after the panel reported to delegates that they were least likely to attract consensus.
Lamy was the European Union's trade chief until last year, while Perez del Castillo is Uruguay's former ambassador to the WTO and a former chairman of the trade body's ruling general council.
The winner will succeed Supachai Panitchpakdi of Thailand, who steps down Aug. 31.
Mohamed's panel has two months of closed-door consultations with their counterparts from other countries to help select the next head of the 148-nation body.
Under WTO rules, the panel has until May 31 to establish which candidate has the broadest backing. "It is understood that the candidate or candidates least likely to attract consensus shall withdraw" over those two months, the rules say.
Instead of formal polling, the selection is to be made by consensus following discussions.
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