BBC News | BATTLE FOR FREE TRADE | Seattle trade talks timeline

BBC News Online: Special Report: 1999: 11: 99: Battle for Free Trade

Monday, 6 December, 1999, 15:35 GMT

Seattle trade talks timeline

Attempts to launch a new round of world trade talks collapsed in failure in Seattle in four tumultuous days of riots and deadlock. BBC News Online here presents its day-by-day coverage of the events and protests.

3 December 1999

Talks break-up without agreement

Audio/visual media

"Labour proved the sticking point"
Andrew Walker analyses the negotiations

"The progress will not be lost" - WTO

"A disaster for world trade"
Paul Reynolds on the collapse of the trade talks

"There was violence at the start, chaos at the end"
Richard Quest on the lessons of failure

2 December 1999

Deadlock on labour and farm exports

Audio/visual media

"Negotiations are proving difficult"

"Seattle is much calmer"

"Labour standards will hurt the poor"
Robert Pigott on developing countries' concerns

"They are talking at last"
The BBC's Richard Quest on the trade negotiations

1 December 1999

President Clinton tries to save talks

Audio/visual media

"Together we have common responsibilities"
President Clinton at the WTO

UK trade minister Richard Caborn on fair trade

"Police had to use force again"
Robert Pigott on more protests in Seattle

"It's the Americans vs. Europeans"
The BBC's Richard Quest on the trade negotiations

30 November 1999

Massive protests disrupt opening

Audio/visual media

Paul Reynolds explains what is motivating the protestors

Janet Williams in the thick of the protests

Stephen Byers, UK trade secretary, on how trade can build social justice

"The WTO has helped millions of people"
Evan Davis interviews WTO head Mike Moore in Geneva

"A state of emergency was declared"
Robert Pigott on the riots in Seattle

"The US and EU lock horns"
Paddy O'Connell reports on the trade deadlock

"An hour of confrontation"
The BBC's Katie Adie reports from the streets of London

"Its organisation was impeccable"
Newsnight's David Lomax meets the UK's internet protesters

"It's really about multinationals"
Newsnight's Evan Davis explains the controversy

Internet Links: Seattle 99 - Mobilization against corporate globalization US Trade Representative World Trade Organisation International Chambers of Commerce EU trade directorate Cairns group of farm exporting countries
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