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"Behind
the Scenes at the WTO" is published by Zed Books in
association with Focus on the Global South. The material
was choosen and skilfully edited by Mr. David Woodward
(UK). It provides a detailed account of what happened before,
during and after the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference
in Doha in 2001, based on interviews with 33 Ambassadors
and other delegates to the WTO, and ten WTO Secretariat
staff members. The picture which emerges is little short
of scandalous, and raises a serious question-mark over
the very legitimacy of the WTO in its present form. The
book reveals the systematic subversion of an ostensibly
democratic system to ensure that the "agreements" that
are reached are those the major powers - primarily the
US and the European Union - want, irrespective of the views
of interests of most developing countries, who form the
great majority of the membership. It exposes a process
in which basic democratic principles taken for granted
at the national level - and even the rules of the Organisation
itself - are routinely and wilfully ignored, as the major
powers seek to force through their agenda against the opposition
of many developing countries, which make up 80% of the membership.
The
event is organized by SACHA DARIAN and will be followed
by a smal reception. |
