Conference President and Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb has been named an official U. S. Delegate to the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s Third Ministerial Conference in Seattle, November 30-December 3, 1999. Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky, United States Trade Representative, who will lead the delegation and chair the meeting, made the announcement on October 27.

The Seattle meeting will launch the next major world trade negotiations, which will start early in 2000. Ministers and other senior officials from over 160 governments are expected to attend the four-day meeting, which will launch global negotiations to further open markets in goods, services, and agricultural trade.

“I am pleased and honored that Ambassador Barshefsky has invited me to serve the U. S. delegation to the WTO’s 3rd Ministerial Conference,” Mayor Webb said. “We anticipate that the WTO will launch a new round of trade negotiations to expand market opportunities for America’s workers, firms, and farms in agriculture, services, industrial goods and other areas.

“Trade creates better-paying jobs, higher family living standards, and market opportunities abroad for Americans. The WTO helps the U.S. achieve these goals through a set of enforceable agreements with our trading partners and represents a continuation of the market-opening trade policy the U.S. has pursued since the end of World War II. The City of Denver is a strong supporter of the Administration’s trade agenda in the WTO, and I am proud to represent Denver and my country at this important and historic event.”

In cooperation with the office of Mayor Paul Schell of Seattle, King County Executive Ron Sims, and the National Association of Counties, the Conference of Mayors is helping develop a Local Government Forum, which will be held December 1 at the WTO meeting. The day-long meeting, which will feature the leadership of the Conference of Mayors and of the National Association of Counties, will focus on trade issues of particular interest to cities and counties.