PARIS/BRUSSELS, Oct 1 (Hina) - Permanent representatives of fifteen EU member-countries will discuss a problem which poses an obstacle for Croatia's access into the World Trade Organisation in Brussels next week. Should they fail to
reach an agreement, the issue will be forwarded to foreign ministers who are scheduled to convene on October 11 in Luxembourg, a representative of the EU Council of Ministers secretariat press service, Andre Gullissen, told Hina Friday. Gullissen confirmed that among the fifteen representatives, there was one country especially which requested that Croatia should accept the so-called "Baltic model" concerning audio-visual services, and that EU experts who are preparing stances for a new round of talks within the WTO (the so called 133 Council) had not reached an agreement Wednesday regarding the issue. This country explained its insisting with the stance that to go below that
PARIS/BRUSSELS, Oct 1 (Hina) - Permanent representatives of
fifteen EU member-countries will discuss a problem which poses an
obstacle for Croatia's access into the World Trade Organisation in
Brussels next week.
Should they fail to reach an agreement, the issue will be forwarded
to foreign ministers who are scheduled to convene on October 11 in
Luxembourg, a representative of the EU Council of Ministers
secretariat press service, Andre Gullissen, told Hina Friday.
Gullissen confirmed that among the fifteen representatives, there
was one country especially which requested that Croatia should
accept the so-called "Baltic model" concerning audio-visual
services, and that EU experts who are preparing stances for a new
round of talks within the WTO (the so called 133 Council) had not
reached an agreement Wednesday regarding the issue.
This country explained its insisting with the stance that to go
below that point would mean to show the EU's weakness ahead of the
start of a new round of WTO talks scheduled for the end of November
in Seattle.
The completion of the six-year-long process of Croatia's joining
the WTO came to a halt after France demanded during negotiations
that Croatia agree to provisions according to which audio-visual
services of European origin would be treated more favourably.
France claims it is necessary to protect and promote European
cultural specialities. The U.S. on the other hand demands of
countries joining the WTO to open the national market, namely an
equal commercial treatment of all countries.
France does not an animosity attitude towards Croatia's accession
into the WTO, but advocates the viewpoint that the audio-visual
part should not be an issue for discussion in Seattle, Hina was told
from the Quai d'Orsey press service in response to the question why
Paris was blocking Croatia's entering the WTO through the EU.
Asked why French representatives in the European union were in this
case insisting on a usually contentious issue among WTO member
countries, an official at the press centre said she was not
acquainted in detain with the problems and preparations for the new
round of talks in Seattle.
Perhaps this is because France is defending its request for the
exclusion of culture from the talks more than others, she said.
Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa said on Thursday he was sure France
and the United States would resolve their disagreement regarding
the liberalisation of audio-visual services, "but not to the
detriment of Croatia's access to the World Trade Organisation
(WTO)."
(hina) lml