Jim O'Keeffe
Question:89 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he has put forward any nominee or made any proposal for a successor to Mr. Peter Sutherland as Director General of GATT. [79/94]
Written Answers. - World Trade Organisation Appointment.
The issue of a successor to the Director-General of GATT to head the newly established World Trade Organisations the WTO, is under active consideration among the contracting parties to the GATT in Geneva. As I indicated in my reply to the Deputy on this matter on 30 June, Ireland's usual policy on appointments of this nature is to seek consensus by the European Union in favour of a single candidate. This consensual approach is particularly important in the case of the WTO given the significance of international trade to the Irish and European economies. Since then, the member states of the European Union including Ireland have been able to express support for former Italian Foreign Trade Minister Renato Ruggiero as their agreed candidate for this post.