Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi on the Appointment of Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi as New Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

September 1, 2002
Japanese

The Government of Japan welcomes the fact that today, September 1, Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi took up his appointment as the new Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Japan extends sincere appreciation to Mr. Mike Moore, the retiring Director-General, for his dedicated efforts during his tenure, as he labored for the launch of the new WTO Round at the WTO Ministerial Conference held in Doha, Qatar, last year.
Japan expects that new Director-General Supachai will bring this round of negotiations to success from the standpoint of fairness and neutrality and also will play an important role in the further development of the multilateral trading system. The Government of Japan intends to exert efforts for the advancement of the Round negotiations in cooperation with the new Director General.

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