17 December, 2005 - 24 hours to go – will we be able to make it ?
It would be nice to get some fresh air, walk along the waterfront. A little more than 24 hours to go before the end of the conference. We're all tired, mentally and physically. It's like the last leg of a marathon, your body is telling you the finish line is too far, your mind is driving you to the end. Someone once told me that running is 80% physical ... and 80% mental. Trade negotiations are more mental than physical, but if you have to sit and focus on a negotiation for long hours, your body will also take a toll.
The media are saying we're having a tough time to reach an agreement -- they don't know half of it, how tough it is. The last debate among Ministers went on for 10 hours. We were up the whole night discussing, trying to put together a new compromise. Upwards. I have to admit there are moments when it seems we're just not getting there. I know I must have my head clear at such moments, to keep myself and everyone else focused on the real finish line – the end of the Round in 2006. But for now, all of our energy (or what is left of it) must be devoted to making progress over the next few hours.
I browse through the press clipping and see a few pieces on this diary – quite funny to see things written here getting published in the press ! Talking of reactions, I want to thank those of you who have sent messages of encouragement, from places like Morocco, Turkey, Cyprus, Canada, China and also from WTO Secretariat staff who stayed back in Geneva. As I said yesterday, I really wish I had the time to send you all personal messages and replies, but I hope you understand my time constraints these days. I'll try to do it when I get back to Geneva.
Someone wrote in to ask where my bananas come from – clever question, given that trade in bananas is a hot issue in the WTO and that I must remain impartial. I've asked around where the bananas that we eat here at the convention centre come from, and I have been told they come from anywhere in the world, because trade in Hong Kong is so open, but that these most likely come from the Philippines at this time year. All I can add is a thank you to banana growers everywhere for this great product – portable, self-contained, elegantly designed and a great tonic.
The WTO photographer showed us a picture of a very cute baby ! I asked our webmaster to place the picture in the website, together with my message. The baby is Maria-Gloria Distefano, 2.5 years old and she is attending the conference with her mother, a delegate from Luxembourg. What a beautiful touch to the otherwise boring grey-suit ambience of our meetings – this must be what people call "born and raised trade negotiator" !
My schedule today is driven by the end-phase of the negotiations. Talking to regional coordinators, delegations, Secretariat experts. By two o'clock in the afternoon the new text we worked out las...[Message truncated]
Edited 12/18/2005 2:29 pm by PascalLamy |
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
