STOP MAI

MEDIA RELEASE -for immediate release, 25 August, 1999 Authorised by the STOP-MAI Campaign Coalition (WA) Website http://members.iinet.net.au/~jenks/fair.html Affiliated with the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTInet) and with the World Social Forum (WSF)

Consumer movement pushes for curb
on APEC, WTO 'free trade' excesses

The Stop-MAI Campaign Coalition (WA) has applauded the launch by Consumers International of a worldwide campaign to ensure that consumer rights are supported by the multilateral trading system.

The campaign was launched simultaneously on 16 August in Santiago, London, Dakar, Harare, Bangalore, and Kuala Lumpur. Details are available on the internet at www.consumersinternational.org/trade

Perth campaigners have begun a leaflet distribution on the theme "Turn Around the World Trade Organisation" --a play on the name "New Round" or "Millennium Round" for a controversial proposed resumption of negotiations similar to last year's failed Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI).

Stop-MAI hopes to raise public awareness of the consumer implications in the lead-up to next month's APEC discussions in Auckland and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial summit starting at Seattle on 30 November.

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PHONE CONTACTS: Brian Jenkins +61 8 9528 1864; Dion Giles 0411 745 538