Press Release.............................. UNESCAP News Services

Date 26 mARCH 2004
Note to Editor No: N/08/2004

Regional Policy Dialogue on WTO issues in a Post-Cancun Trading Environment

Bangkok (UN Information Services) -- The United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in collaboration with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the UN Commission for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) are organizing a seminar on "Regional Policy Dialogue: Post-Cancun Regional Trading Environment." The seminar to be held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok from 30 March to 1 April 2004, is part of a project on Strengthening capacities of developing countries to manage globalization through effective integration into the multilateral trading system.

The seminar is aimed at high-level officials from UNESCAP members whose responsibilities directly involve formulating and implementing of trade policy, in particular WTO agreements, bilateral/regional agreements. The officials will assess the implementation of the Cancun Ministerial conference (constructive and effective integration of regional liberalization into multilateral talks), consider the current state of play in the WTO talks, and exchange experiences and research findings among members on WTO accession and its impact on the welfare of acceding countries.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. David Lazarus, Chief, United Nations Information Services, UNESCAP, United Nations Building, Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand.
Tel: (+66) 02 288 1864-9; Fax: (66+2) 2881052, E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org

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