(8 Mar 1999) English/Nat
VOICED BY PHILIPPA MEAGHER
The United States and the European Union have put their cases before the World Trade Organisation over hefty U-S sanctions imposed amid the bitter trans-Atlantic banana trade row.
The E-U denounces the U-S sanctions, but Washington insists it has the right to take the step due to E-U reluctance to change import policies that American banana sellers say squeeze them out of the European market.
(0.02)
The WTO hopes to break the deadlock in the banana trade war.
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All one hundred and thirty four member countries were summoned to Geneva.
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After an irate European Union denounced the U.S. sanctions imposed on five hundred and twenty million dollars worth of European goods.
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The Americans claim the EU's selective banana import policy favours former European colonies at the expense of US producers.
The EU says the tariffs are illegal.
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According to the US delegation lead by Rita Hayes, the sanctions equal the losses claimed by US owned banana companies.
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SOUNDBITE(English)
"I think that we are near to a solution to the problem, not, certainly, far away."
SUPER CAPTION: Renato Ruggiero, WTO chief
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The EU claim the sanctions lack WTO approval.
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SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We believe that what the Americans have done this last week is clearly unacceptable. It's illegal. It's not authorised. That's quite clear it's not authorised, and it's outside the system."
SUPER CAPTION: Roderick Abbott, Head of the E-U trade delegation
(1.05)
The U-S delegation believes the responsibility for resolving the dispute lies with the European Union.
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SOUNDBITE: (English)
"This case has been lost four times for a total of seven years."
SUPER CAPTION: Rita Hayes, Head of the U-S delegation
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Many countries have told both organisations to stop tying up the world agenda.
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VISION ENDS
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