ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN SEATTLE, 29 NOVEMBER - 1 DECEMBER 1999

Press Release
SG/T/2211

ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN SEATTLE, 29 NOVEMBER - 1 DECEMBER 1999

The Secretary-General travelled to Seattle, Washington, on Monday evening, 29 November, to address, the following morning, the opening session of the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

On Tuesday, thousands of demonstrators blocked the streets of downtown Seattle leading to the site of the WTO conference, keeping away the Secretary- General and other speakers at the opening ceremony, which had been scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. The opening ceremony was cancelled, but the WTO conference was officially declared open four hours later. A dusk-to-dawn curfew was declared by the Mayor of Seattle starting at 7 p.m. that evening, following the day of demonstrations.

The speech he would have given, in which he appealed to governments to make trade work for the poor, was issued as Press Release SG/SM/7237/Rev.1.

The Secretary-General proceeded with the rest of his programme in Seattle on Tuesday afternoon.

He chaired a lively meeting with Bill Gates, Sr., together with representatives of the Gates Foundation and other foundations during which they discussed new ways in which the private sector could stimulate development. Specifically, they discussed the need to improve opportunities for education, especially for girls, harnessing information technology and joint efforts to combat AIDS. On the latter, the Secretary-General referred to a meeting on AIDS he would convene in New York on 6 and 7 December with non-governmental organizations, governments and foundations to explore ways to work together.

Later that afternoon, about 150 people, including Washington Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash) and other political and civil leaders, turned out for the Secretary-General's remarks and question-and-answer session sponsored by the Rotary Club of Seattle (see Press Release SG/SM/7245). Among the issues raised were challenges for the next millennium, protection of refugees, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, AIDS, debt forgiveness and sanctions against Cuba.

A private meeting with Bill Gates, Jr., followed that event, prior to the WTO official dinner.

The Secretary-General returned to New York early on Wednesday morning, 1 December.

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