Doha delegation rejects special safety measures

Date: 08/11/01

By Peter Chapman

The European Union's team of negotiators is taking no special security precautions for this week's World Trade Organisation conference in the Gulf state of Qatar, a senior official revealed.

Peter Carl, director-general for the European Commission's trade department, said officials left for Qatar's capital of Doha without the anti-anthrax pills and gas masks issued to their US counterparts. "The only thing I will say is that we have had frequent contact with the Qatari authorities on this matter. We have discussed security with them and we are satisfied that what they have done will be in conformity with the standards of protection that are necessary for international meeting."

Carl was speaking before news broke of how a Qatari national was shot dead by guards at an airbase 25 miles south of Doha. The base was being used by US warplanes and the Pentagon said the man had fired a gun.

Around 50 Commission officials were due to arrive in Qatar last night on a plane chartered by the Belgian presidency. The EU delegation at the WTO talks will be headed by Pascal Lamy, trade commissioner, and his agriculture counterpart Franz Fischler.

The European Union's team of negotiators is taking no special security precautions for the World Trade Organisation conference in Qatar, 9-13 November 2001, according to a senior official.