. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(99)/INF/1
1 February 1999
(99-0362)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Third SessionSeattle, 30 November – 3 December 1999
WTO MINISTERIAL CONFER ENCE 1999 TO BE HELD
IN SEATTLE FROM 30 NOVE MBER TO 3 DECEMBER 1999
Further to the announcement made on 27 January 1999 at the Informal Intersessional Meeting
of the General Council by Ambassador Rita Hayes, you will find attached a copy of the Press Release
issued by the Office of the United States Trade Representative in Washington D.C.
In addition, the US authorities w ould like to draw the attention of  Delegations to the fact that
the weekend preceding the Ministerial Conference is “Thanksgiving” holiday.  Consequently, air
traffic will be very heavy, in particular on Sunday, 28 November.  In view of this, Delegations are
advised to make their arrangements as early as possible to avoid any problems.
Jacques E. Chabert
Director
Finance and General ServicesWT/MIN(99)/INF/1
Page 2
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
WASHINGTON , D.C.
20508
USTR P RESS RELEASES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE USTR HOME PAGE AT WWW.USTR.GOV.
THEY ARE ALSO AVAILABLE THROUGH THE USTR F AX RETRIEVAL SYSTEM AT 202-395-4809.
1999 World Trade Organization Ministerial to be Held in Seattle
Representatives of the 133-member countries of the World Trade Or ganization will meet in
Seattle, Washington for the 1999 WTO Ministeria l Conference Meeting, which will take place
November 30th through December 3rd, 1999.  This meeting will chaired by United States Trade
Representative Charlene Barshefsky, and it will launch global negotiations to further open marketsin goods, services, and agricultural trade.
“This will be the largest trade event ever held in the United States,” said United States
Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky, “and it will inaugurate global negotiations which willshape world trade as we move to the next century.  President Clinton has called for a new,accelerated negotiating Round to include three different dimensions: global negotiations to openmarkets in goods, services, and agriculture; a dynamic agenda that delivers results on an on-goingbasis; and institutional reform to make the WTO more transparent, accessible, and responsive tocitizens.”
Initially, over 40 U.S. cities expressed an interest in hosting the Ministerial meeting. Seattle,
Washington was selected by the Administration as the U.S. site to host the conference among six
finalist cities.  Among the factors considered in making the selection were capacity and ability to host,security arrangements, proximity of convention facility to hotels, proximity to an international airport,
local transportation, logistics, and offers of assistance from the city, the state, and the private sector.
The final selection was based on the total package of considerations, rather than on any single
criterion.
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