OTTAWA, April 13: Trade minister David Emerson praised a World Trade Organisation about-face Thursday giving Canada another legal win in its longstanding softwood lumber feud with the United States.

A WTO appeals body announced that it was reversing a November 2005 ruling which had found that the United States was complying with the organization’s rules.

Canada took the United States to the WTO last year after claiming Washington had failed to respect the 2004 decision and was still using flawed methods to determine whether Canadian lumber importers damaged their US competitors.

“We are pleased with this decision because it reflects the position we have maintained all along. The United States can no longer claim that its measure is WTO-consistent,” Emerson said in a statement.—AFP