Trade ministers from the United States, the European Union, Canada and Japan will begin two days of talks in Tokyo today centered on preparations for the next global trade liberalization negotiations to be held under the auspices of the World Trade Organization.
The Quadrilateral Trade Ministers Meeting will involve Japanese trade chief Kaoru Yosano, who will chair the meeting, Canadian Minister for International Trade Sergio Marchi, Leon Brittan, vice president of the European Commission, the executive body of the EU, and U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky.
The participants are expected to discuss ways for the WTO members to proceed with the next round of WTO talks scheduled in 2000, following the WTO ministerial level meetings scheduled for November in Seattle.