AMBASSADOR PETER ALLGEIER
Responds to questions from the press following the February 11, 2004 Meeting of the WTO General Council

ALLGEIER: We are very pleased with the outcome of the General Council meeting, particularly of course the acceptance of Iraq as an observer in the WTO. We think that this will contribute to their reintegration to the economic system and it also will help them in their domestic reform as they look at the sorts of disciplines and transparency that we have in the WTO.

QUESTION: What about Iran then, is there any chance of a change this year?

ALLGEIER: We are reviewing that, and there is no change at this point. That is all I can say.

QUESTION: Do you think there is discrimination between Iran and Iraq, Sir?

ALLGEIER: I have said what I am going to say about it. It is under review with no change at this time.

QUESTION: Can we ask you something on what is happening on the Doha negotiations?

ALLGEIER: That would be appropriate.

QUESTION: How is the U.S. pushing the whole process?

ALLGEIER: Well, I think it is quite clear. Ambassador Zoellick is right now on his tour of important capitals. He was in Tokyo. He is in Beijing now. He will be stopping in a number of other places, New Delhi, South Africa coming back to here, talking to Lamy in Paris. We are trying to push the round and work with people so that things can start moving again. We have got our slate of Chairs, so we should be ready to move forward.

QUESTION: Are you happy with that Japanese Ambassador being selected as the Chairman of the General Council?

ALLGEIER: We think that we have a very strong slate of Chairs, and as I said in the meeting, we fully support that slate, and we will work with each and everyone of them to move the negotiations forward.

QUESTION: Is the U.S. going to have a meeting with the G-20 like the Europeans are doing?

ALLGEIER: We will be having meetings with a variety of countries in different configurations. The only way to resolve these issues and to move them forward is to work with everybody, and so we will work with everybody.

QUESTION: Comparing the groundwork for a free trade agreement with Iraq once they reclaim sovereignty again in the second half of the year?

ALLGEIER: Well, the President has his Middle East Trade Initiative. Right now, of course, we are negotiating bilaterally with Bahrain and with Morocco, those are the most immediate things.

QUESTION: What about Iraq? Any particular access for their textile products?

ALLGEIER: There is not a particular timetable for that.

QUESTION: What about a ministerial? Do you still see the need for a ministerial this year?

ALLGEIER: Well, we think that a Ministerial is an important part of a schedule for moving forward and we do think that it makes sense to schedule one for the end of the year. There were mixed feelings in the room and I think that everybody feels that it is important to have one at the right time, so we continue to consult about what that time is.

Thanks a lot!

QUESTION: Why are you here?

ALLGEIER: ...Ambassador Deily is with Ambassador Zoellick on the tour and frankly we thought it was important to have an Ambassador here to signify the importance we attach to giving further impulse and reinvigorating the negotiations. Also I haven't been here for a while so this is a chance for me to meet with various people and catch up on what people's perspectives are.

QUESTION: Who will you be meeting with?

ALLGEIER: A variety of people.