PARIS, Oct 18: Member states of the World Trade Organization are discussing the possible transfer of next month’s WTO ministerial meeting planned for Qatar, European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said on Thursday.

Lamy said during a breakfast meeting here with reporters that Singapore Trade Minister George Yeo “had made no secret” of his country’s interest in hosting the conference, set to take place November 9 to 13.

But he added that Geneva, headquarters of the WTO, had likewise not been ruled out as an alternative venue.

Security concerns following the September 11 suicide attacks in the United States and the current US military assault on Afghanistan have prompted WTO members to consider moving the conference called to debate an agenda for a new round of trade liberalization talks to another setting.

A senior official in Qatar, a Gulf emirate, said his government would decide on Thursday whether to ask the WTO to seek an alternative venue.

Up to now there has been no change, we will decide our position tomorrow, the official said Wednesday on condition of anonymity, refusing to give any further details.

But Canadian Minister of International Trade Pierre Pettigrew, speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Shanghai, said Wednesday that the Qatari capital Doha was still the planned venue.

I think our Qatar hosts have been doing an extraordinary job in preparation. I commend the Qatari government as hosts, they have been doing a hell of job, he told reporters.

Obviously members are monitoring the security evolution because of the uncertainties of the region, but for the time being I have not heard of any decision being made to switch countries, Pettigrew said.

SHANGHAI: The United States and China unveiled a plan on Thursday to help their small and medium-sized businesses take advantage of the opportunities created by China’s World Trade Organisation membership.