MINUTES: Globalization Study Group
Meeting of November 1, 2005

Present: BD, PH, BN, BS, AY

BD began a challenging but tight technical discussion by summarizing the text of the readings he recommended on the World Trade Organization (WTO), which we can reread at www.cenews.com.cn .  Reviewing the first section covering the "General Description of the WTO," BD quickly focused his pointed comments on the "Environmental Provisions in the WTO Agreements."  Noting that the WTO general agreements have taken on the character of international law, he pointed out that the WTO's environmental agreements now codify the general understandings of the earlier provisions of the GATT.  Stressing that the provisions of the WTO take on the permanent force of international law, he directed our attention to key phrasing in a series of environmental Provisions as interpreted in cenews text. (In order to keep this report as brief as possible, I refer all the participants to the cenews text.)  Encouraging us to deepen our knowledge of the General Provisions of the WTO and the Environmental Agreements, BD traced for us the intricate web of qualifying phases in all the Agreements referencing the environment that stress the central and overriding importance of unfettered trade. Through his presentation the inherent contradictions became increasingly clear.  In a careful comparative reading of the "Preamble Language of the Marrakesch Agreement..." with the text of the various "Environmental Provisions of the GATT/WTO," one notices the consistent repetition of phrases which emphasize the primary principles and practices of unrestricted trade.  The Agreement's stress on unrestricted trade is repeated with little variation in such typical phases such as: "Avoiding unnecessary obstacles to trade," or "...these measures shall not be applied in a manner which would constitute a disguised restriction on international
trade,"  "Consistently stressing ...the least trade restrictive (sic) measures ...," the particular clauses dilute the lofty environmental protections announced in the Preamble.  Clearly the World TRADE Organization put trade first.  TRADE IS PARAMOUNT.  Generously the clauses might be summarized as setting the conditions to encourage trade in the LEAST RESTRICTED ENVIRONMENT.  (There are times I cannot resist throwing out a little editorial comment.) Further noting the unrestricted transnational corporate damage to the total global environment, BD cited, the example of effluents arriving from Asia on the coast of Washington State. Continuing to review the texts, BD condensed the major provisions of the WTO agreement to its three related priorities: to enhance the international flow of trade, determine the form of trade agreements and to settle trade disputes. The major international corporate entities have attempted to coordinate the structure of trade and international production through the WTO agreements which now appear to serve as a models for the NAFTA and CAFTA trade plans.

PH referring to the repeated ways that the WTO Agreement treats the "Trade-Environmental related issues,..." asked the logical question, do they not know that production takes place in a given environment?

BN noted for us all, that at times the language we read and use is unclear.  His very friendly critique, carried the implicit suggestion that we need to make a minor but important correction in our assumptions about our personal "combined and uneven development" of our collective knowledge. 

Inherent in BN's comment and BD's thoughtful response rest an implied solution.  We should become more aware of our different educational and personal histories and as we attract new participants.  We should leave sufficient time to learn their particular talents, skills and knowledge.  It is clear from BN's quiet diplomacy that we can easily make broad inappropriate assumptions about the knowledge that each participant may bring to each discussion.

BD , suggested we read "Collapse" by Eric Diamond and "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" by John Perkins.

Toward the end of the meeting we discussed which topics we might prepare for our presentation on Globalization at the Snowbird Symposium.  We agreed to continue to read and prepare summaries of articles related to the impact of Globalization on the Environment with the view that we will make a decision on our topic at the next meeting.

We were all saddened by the news that PH will not be able to regularly attend future meetings, but we were all very pleased to learn that she will continue to edit the summaries of our meetings, thus making them much more readable and accurate. While we will miss her direct insightful comments at our meetings, perhaps she will enliven the future summary reports by offering us a few enlightening comments as she edits.  Get back quickly PH, your absence is a loss to us.

Thanks to everyone present for all the comments that will help us to work better together. In the interest of brevity, I deliberately did not summarize some of the helpful personal discussion that emerged following BN's thoughtful comments nor the historical comments made in reference to the development of the Interstate Commerce Commission in the US because the place and importance of BN's comments take on a practical life in our future behavior and those on the ICC will later emerge in other discussions.

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday,15 Nov 2005 in the Meeting Room of the Hotel Quinta Loreto at 15:00 hours.
Respectfully Submitted for your review.
Arturo