DIFFERENT VOICES

Date: 28/01/1999

“I am extremely dismayed that the EU would jeopardise the operation of the WTO in this way. The Union has prevented the WTO from holding a meeting, prevented the United States from exercising its WTO rights and prevented any other dispute settlement business from going forward.” US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky attacking the Union for blocking World Trade Organisation consideration of proposed US sanctions against the EU in the ongoing banana dispute.

“We were willing to accept the WTO's compromise plan. If the US had gone along and accepted it, none of this would have happened.” A European Commission spokesman insisting that responsibility for the impasse in the banana dispute lay with Washington.

“It is not against the Americans or the Japanese, or whomever. It is a proposal made in an open spirit so the whole world draws benefit from the birth of the euro.” Economics Commissioner Yves-Thibault de Silguy dismissing criticism of the EU's plan to send the European Central Bank president, a European Commissioner and the chairman of the Euro-11 group to meetings of the Group of Seven alongside representatives from France, Germany and Italy.

“What we need most is to openly present to the people the advantages and disadvantages. We must not steamroll opponents by setting a date.” Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen lamenting his country's fixation with the question of when a referendum would be held to decide whether Denmark should join the euro-zone or not and insisting the debate should focus on the single currency's pros and cons instead.

“The outlook for the euro-area economy is still very much influenced by the uncertainties surrounding the evolution of the world economy in 1999. The deteriorating external environment, which has its origins in the Asian and Russian financial crises, places a high burden on overall growth prospects. The picture is, however, mixed.” European Central Bank president Wim Duisenberg insisting that the current euro-zone interest rate of 3&percent; was consistent with the aim of price stability.