ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Friday, December 13, 1996              TAG: 9612130054
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL   PAGE: A-14 EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: SINGAPORE
SOURCE: Associated Press

HIGH-TECH TARIFFS TO END WORLD TRADE BODY ALSO PROTECTS WORKERS' RIGHTS

After days of haggling, rich and poor nations at a global trade conference reached a compromise Thursday to protect workers' rights and neared agreement to end tariffs on computers and other high-tech products.

The compromise does not enforce improved labor conditions, but rather states the 128 WTO nations' ``commitment to the observance of internationally recognized labor standards.''

Still, a formal statement by the World Trade Organization means that members can be criticized at future meetings for violating labor rights.

The crowning achievement of the five-day meeting is the expected endorsement today of a global pact abolishing customs tariffs on computers, software, semiconductors, telecommunication equipment and hundreds of related products by 2000.

``The spirit of compromise and give-and-take was present in all our meetings,'' said Yeo Cheow Tong, the Singapore trade minister who was chairman of the talks.

The deal, which would make computers and related technology cheaper, was touted as the WTO's biggest achievement since the wide-ranging free trade pact known as the Uruguay Round three years ago.

The world's main trading powers, the United States, European Union and Japan, settled their differences early Thursday, and about 15 other countries signaled they also would agree. Latecomers have until March 15 to come on board.

``We expect that countries making up 85 percent of world trade will be willing to sign on tomorrow,'' said Peter Carl, a leading EU negotiator.

However, other officials said support from holdouts India and Mexico is considered crucial to reaching the 90 percent of exporting countries that is required for the pact to take effect.

The world information technology trade was estimated last year at $600 billion, and the tariff cuts would bring down prices.

``It's really the user who will benefit the most because they're paying the tariffs and this will make it more affordable for them,'' said Lloyd Cubis, vice president of Motorola.

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