African group at WTO criticizes unclear criteria giving Moroccan candidate to WTO leadership third rank

Arab and African delegations to the consultations on the appointment of a general director of the World Trade Organization were surprised, irritated and angered after reports placing Thai Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi as the front-runner to become the next director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

A preliminary count of support issued by two ambassadors conducting consultations among the WTO's 132 members put New Zealand's former prime minister Michael Moore in second place and Morocco's former trade minister Hassan Abouyoub third.

The African and Arab delegations argue that the report submitted by the two ambassadors -William Rossier of Switzerland and Celso Lafer of Brazil-- to the WTO's ruling General Council is unclear and does not give any convincing explanation on the reason why the Moroccan candidate, who was considered as a favored candidate is ranked in the third place. Abouyoub enjoys the support of Africans, Arabs and a number of European Union countries.

The delegations told MAP bureau in Geneva they are planning to ask for a mock vote during next Friday's formal meeting of the WTO general council.

Trade official quoted by "Xinhua" news agency said the situation could change in the next few days as the 15-member European Union and the United States haven't made their views known. So far the two trade powers have declined to express their preferences to the ambassadors who are trying to establish whether a consensus can be built around one of the four candidates.

The winner will take over from outgoing Director-General Renato Ruggiero of Italy next May and will take the task of leading the WTO.