As the 148-nation World Trade Organization (WTO) tries to get the Doha Round of global negotiations going again, the U.S. is replacing its representative to the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland. Peter Allgeier, who has been deputy U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and based in Washington, D.C., will replace Linnet Deily, who served for four years in Geneva.
Allgeier has handled the Washington, D.C. end of the Doha Round negotiations and is expected to take up his post in Geneva full time this fall. Until a successor to him as deputy to U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman is named, Allgeier will divide his time between Geneva and Washington, D.C.
The Doha Round, named after the city in Qatar where it was launched in November 2001, was originally to be completed by this past January 1. Sometime in late 2006 now seems more likely. The next major milepost is a meeting of trade ministers in Hong Kong in mid-December.
