Bangkok--Dec 20--WTO
It was a struggle until the very end, until the last minutes. As daylight appeared through the glass walls of the convention centre, I realized that the moment of truth was coming closer. We were in a make or break situation. The last hours of meetings were incredibly intense. The frustration at revisiting some issues for the fiftieth time is kept in check. It’s too easy now to lose one’s temper, to shift everything in reverse with the wrong word. It’s like keeping your balance on a small boat, trying to reach the other side of the river in the midst of the storm.
Balance is key for the dynamics of this group of 30 Ministers, representative of the many WTO sensitivities: two-thirds developing countries, least-developed, Africa, Asia, Latin America, Small Economies... but only three women ministers. I guess that this is the only balance we should improve! Went back to the hotel for just two or three hours of sleep — but then it’s one of those moments when you go to bed, but your mind is working at such speed that it is difficult to fall asleep. Every ten minutes the phone rings, decisions to take, back to the centre. For some days we have been building what seems to be a castle of cards. Keeping a cool head in the final hours of the conference is essential to ensure that the castle does not crumble in the last minutes. When ministers leave at 7:00 am, John Tsang, the Chairman, and I still have to finalise the text that will be discussed by all members in the afternoon. Better not get the word and
the coma wrong! It was anything but a smooth afternoon. Problems, concerns of different ministers being channelled to my office, more meetings, phone calls. The
last hours were like an emergency room in a hospital. Good thing that my staff, in spite of working under tremendous pressure, kept cool, with team spirit. We knew we could pull this off, but as a famous baseball player once said “it ain’t over till it’s over”. Delegates are queuing by the documentation centre to get the last draft of our work this week. Not exactly my idea of a bestseller, but judging from the excitement out there, it is almost as if it was the latest Harry Potter! Maybe an idea for the next book: “Hogwarts: the school of trade wizards?”
Back into another meeting with the heads of delegations. One after another they remind us we still have a lot of work to do, but they accept the text. The relief in the room is palpable. Everyone shares the sense we’ve succeeded, not completely... but with an impetus to finish the Round in 2006. At the plenary session of all Members that follows, the text is presented for final approval: the sound of the gavel followed by the words of the Chairman “so agreed” are music to my ears. Applauds fuse. It’s amazing! They all have been fighting their cases against one another during 100 hours, and they are united during one minute — but that is the crucial one. At the news conference the journalists pepper me with questions, the last trial in this gruelling week. But even they share our excitement at the result of these six days. I will tell them that when I
came to Hong Kong, I was fully awake and the negotiations were half-asleep; tonight I am half-asleep but the good news is that the negotiations are now fully awake !
Tonight, it’s the flow of adrenaline that will delay my sleep. But I
cannot deny I am happy. It’s been an incredible week in a fabulous city whose team ... John Tsang, the organizing committee, volunteers, and many others working out of the spotlight have done an impeccable work. I will bring vivid memories of them all with me to Geneva. Hosting the WTO must have been like having visitors for the weekend. They bring happiness when they arrive and peace when they leave.
That’s my season’s greeting to my friends in Hong Kong, and to you: Merry
Christmas, Peace and goodwill to all !
This will be the last of my diary entries from Hong Kong, but we’re far
from finished with the Round. Au revoir, see you later.
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