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<title>MINISTER MARCHI WELCOMES ELECTION OF CANADIAN AS CHAIR OF THE WTO GENERAL COUNCIL </title>
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<p><font face="Courier"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2">February 20, 1998 No. 37</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+2">MINISTER MARCHI WELCOMES ELECTION OF CANADIAN AS CHAIR
OF THE WTO GENERAL COUNCIL </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">International Trade Minister Sergio Marchi today welcomed the election of John
Weekes, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the Office of the
United Nations and the World Trade Organization, as Chair of the General Council
of the World Trade Organization (WTO).</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">"Ambassador Weekes'experience in bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade
negotiations will provide invaluable guidance to WTO members as they face the
challenges ahead," said Minister Marchi. "The Ambassador's election reflects
Canada's continued leadership in the multilateral trading system." </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Canada was both an original signatory to the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT) 50 years ago and an original member of the WTO, which celebrates the
50th Anniversary of the multilateral trading system on May 20, 1998. The WTO will
hold a celebration immediately after its Ministerial Conference in Geneva, May 18
to 19. </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">The objective of the WTO is to secure and enhance market access in goods,
services, and intellectual property through predictable, transparent, and
enforceable trade rules. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the WTO was
established by the Marrakesh Declaration in 1994 and came into force in 1995. The
WTO replaced the GATT, which was established in Geneva in 1948. Ambassador Weekes
was Chair of the GATT Council (predecessor to the WTO General Council) in 1989.</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Courier">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Biographical Notes are attached.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Leslie Swartman</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Office of the Minister for International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 992-7332</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</font></p>
<p><font face="Univers" size="+1">Biographical Notes</font></p>
<p><font face="Univers" size="+1">JOHN M. WEEKES</font></p>
<p><font face="Univers" size="+1">Permanent Representative of Canada</font></p>
<p><font face="Univers" size="+1"></font><font face="Courier"></font><font face="Courier">In September 1995, Ambassador Weekes became the Permanent Representative of
Canada to the Office of the United Nations in Geneva and the World Trade
Organization (WTO). He is the Chairman of the newly created WTO Committee on
Regional Trade Agreements, and also chairs the Working Party on the Accession of
Saudi Arabia to the WTO. </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">From 1993 to 1995, Mr. Weekes was Senior Assistant Deputy Minister responsible
for managing Canada's relations with the United States and Co-ordinator for the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the Department of Foreign Affairs
and International Trade. He was Canada's Chief Negotiator for the North American
Free Trade Negotiations from 1991 to 1994. During this period, Mr. Weekes was
also the Assistant Deputy Minister for Trade Policy.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Previously, Mr. Weekes was Ambassador to the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT) in Geneva, and was elected Chairman of the GATT Council for the year
1988-89 and, subsequently, as Chairman of the GATT Contracting Parties for 1989-90. Mr. Weekes also served as Chairman of the Uruguay Round Negotiating Group
dealing with the reform of various articles of the GATT.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Prior to his appointment as Ambassador to GATT, Mr. Weekes served in trade policy
positions in Ottawa from 1979-87, including as Director General for Trade Policy.
From 1973 to 1979, Mr. Weekes was a member of Canada's delegation to the Tokyo
Round of GATT negotiations.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Earlier, Mr. Weekes was posted to the Canadian Embassy in Belgrade and in 1974
was a member of the Canadian Delegation to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE).</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Mr. Weekes was born in Toronto in 1943. He received an Honours BA in Political
Science and Economics from the University of Toronto in 1966 and the same year
joined the Department of External Affairs. He is married to Arlene Weekes
(Harris) and they have two children. </font></p>
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