WTO summit begins in wake of violent protest

The World Trade Organization summit to advance a liberalized trade agenda faces a tough uphill climb with participants far apart on major issues as the global economic recession pulls nations in different directions.

Some 110 ministers are arriving in Geneva for the WTO’s seventh ministerial conference starting Monday, two days after protesters smashed windows and set cars on fire in the city to voice their displeasure with the event.

WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy expressed regret on Sunday that the planned peaceful march had deteriorated into a confrontation that led to destruction of property and several arrests.

“It is unfortunate that a peaceful expression of discontent from those who have honest differences with the WTO should have been disrupted by the violent acts of a few who want neither dialogue nor constructive interaction,” said Lamy.

He added that the Geneva-based international organization “has been and continues to be open to debate with civil society.”

A group of around 200 people, clad in black balaclavas joined the protest march but, some of them, armed with hammers, smashed the windows of banks, jewellery shops and a Starbucks café.

Four cars were also set on fire, while the windows of more than a dozen other vehicles were shattered. Police eventually intervened to stop the march and arrested 33 people, including four people found in possession of goods looted from shops.

Organizers of the march said more than 4,000 people took part, including participants from outside Switzerland.

Those involved showed “with force and determination” the social and environmental consequences of WTO policies, the group organizing the event said in a statement on its website.

The organizers said they regretted that a “minority of people” put on a parallel protest that diverted attention away from the planned peaceful march and prevented speeches from being delivered.

The groups also complained that participants from South Korea were prevented by police from joining the demonstration because they were detained at the Geneva airport.

Monica Bonfanti, chief of police, defended the actions of police, who were out in force to deal with the protest, noting in an interview with Swiss television that no injuries were reported.

Eric Grandjean, police spokesman, said police did not immediately intervene to deal with vandals who smashed windows on the Quai des Bergues because the troublemakers were mixed in with peaceful marchers, including children.

More than 2,700 delegates are expected to attend the WTO ministerial meeting, which wraps up on Wednesday.

Some 400 journalists will be covering the discussions and 500 members of non-governmental groups will be attending the event.

The theme of the conference is “the WTO, the Multilateral Trading System and the Current Economic Environment”.

The gathering will not involved negotiations in the Doha Round of trade liberalization talks, but it is expected to provide guidance from ministers “on how they see engagement ion the Doha negotiations post-December,” Lamy said.

Lamy on Friday urged negotiators to close gaps on issues such as agriculture, non-agricultural market access, services and trade-related intellectual property rights. Also up for debate are a number of environmental issues related to trade.