§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with(a) other EU countries and (b) the 41 poorest countries concerning reform of the World Trade Organisation since 1 December 1999. [106430]
§ Clare Short(a) Since 1 December I have had no meetings with EU partners regarding WTO reform. The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry discussed this issue in the General Affairs Council in Seattle and since then has been in touch with Commissioner Lamy and EU Trade Minister colleagues, outlining UK proposals for WTO reform.
(b) Since the Seattle meeting, I have had no direct discussions with representatives of the 41 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) on trade-related matters. I will meet representatives from HIPCs and others at the UNCTAD X meeting in Bangkok, 12–19 February, and will discuss a range of trade-related issues.