Word has it that the World Trade Organization (WTO) will hold November meetings in Cincinnati, Ohio in the USA.

No doubt they believe that Cincinnati is such a conservative town (it is), with little history of radical activism (which is true), that they will have a walk in the park . . . no opposition (like Seattle), no negative publicitiy (like Seattle), and no demonstration.

Now I personally do not want them to get too comforatable here.

So what do you say we start planning a little reception NOW.

My little house is not big enough to put up all of you . . . But if we start now, I am sure we can find a way to accomidate everyone!

Who is up for a road-trip to Ohio?

Here is virtually everything I know about the WTO meeting in Cincinnati:

The TABD is coming to Cincinnati November 16-18. TABD is the Transatlantic Business Dialogue. It is designed to coordinate the U.S. and European trade agendas going into the WTO rounds. TABD works to make sure the policies and procedures of the WTO are (1) in U.S. and European interests and (2) are enacted.

They are considered, next to the WTO, the most influential economic group in the world. Their reason for existence: to liberalize trade and reduce and reduce all barriers to Big Business. The decisions made in Cincinnati in November will most likely be passed right through the next round of WTO talks.

As you know, Cincinnati is a conservative city. Big business runs this city.

I have been informed that The Coalition for a Human Economy CHE2000 is putting together a protest. The nature of the protest is yet to be determined. But I believe there will be several different facets.

There are already meetings going on to organize around this. A coalition of liberals, trade unionists and radicals is being formed, The Coalition against the Trans Atlantic Business Dialogue, as I understand it . . . this would be something that Cincinnati has never seen before.

The coalition is being broken into four committees. Media, Outreach, Education, and Action. A meeting of the action committee is scheduled for this sunday at the Columbia Performance Center at 6pm. I will try to attend.

The next meeting of the for the CHE (Coaliton for Humane Economy) 2000 resistance to TABD will be Sunday August 22nd.

If you want to look up the TABD check out www.tabd.com. It is their Web site. You will see how closely connected they are to the WTO.

Cincinnati Mayor Charles Luken and Kentucky Lt.Governor Steven Henry, joined by Transatlantic Business Dialoge (TABD) U.S. working chair and United Technologies Corporation senior vice president for international affairs and government relations Ruth R. Harkin, announced that the TABD will hold its sixth annual CEO conference in Cincinnati on November 16-18. The conference will bring together more than 200 American and European CEOs and senior government officials to develop recommendations on how to best boost trade and investment.

During the conference to be held at the Omni Netherlands Hotel, TABD 2000 George David, chairman and CEO of United Technologies Corporation, and Bertand Collomb, chairman and CEO of LaFarge, will preside over a series of meetings where U.S. and European business leaders will discuss issues like: developing a common agenda for future World Trade Organization (WTO) negotionations, bringing China into the WTO, establishing industry-driven guidelines for electronic commerce, finding a new system to ward off trade disputes, and protecting intellectual property(what ever that is?).

Local organizations and individuals have gotten together to raise awareness to globlization and how it affects people and the environment. Media, outreach, educational, and action make the four committees united to take on the TABD when it comes to town. The next meeting for the CHE(Coaliton for Humane Economy) 2000 resistance to TABD will be: Sunday August 22nd * 6-8 pm at the Drop In Center 217 W. 12th St. Cincinnati Ohio in the McKrakin room.
Peace Like a River,
Mark

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