ANTIGUA STILL HOPES FOR A U.S. SETTLEMENT

18 January 2008

After years of litigation and rulings in its favour, Antigua is still negotiating


Antiguan Finance Minister Dr. Errol Cort has told reporters that the tiny Caribbean nation is still hopeful of a settlement of its online gambling dispute with the United States that will obviate the need to resort to WTO permission for copyright retaliation up to $21 million a year.

After years of litigation against the USA in the world trade body, and repeated rulings in its favour that its online gambling industry is suffering discrimination under US laws and policy, the country remains in negotiation and is scheduled to attend high level meetings in Washington on Thursday, Dr. Cort revealed.

The Minister is hopeful that the continuing discussions with U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab will lead to a more amicable resolution than the need to apply trade sanctions approved by the WTO. Speaking to the press on his departure for Washington, Dr. Cort said the meeting would be the first "detailed discussions" between the tiny Caribbean islands and the United States over the gambling dispute.

"We believe this matter can be settled in an amicable way because we enjoy an excellent relationship with the United States," Cort said. "I am therefore hopeful (we can) come to some broad understanding in terms of settlement."

Cort has described the WTO's decision as a setback for Antigua, which had sought to apply US$3.4 billion (euro2.3 billion) in retaliatory measures against U.S.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa