NEW RULES FOR GLOBAL TRADE : Reaction

“Today the world has chosen openness and cooperation instead of uncertainty and conflict. I am convinced that today will be seen as a defining moment in modern economic and political history.”

--Peter Sutherland, GATT director general

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“All of the hand-wringing and breast-beating that we’ve all seen and heard over the past seven years is over.”

--Mike Espy, U.S. agriculture secretary

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“We are disappointed that our minimal objectives were not met in some areas.”

--Dean Kleckner, U.S. farm lobbyist

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“It cements our position of leadership in the new global economy. It will create hundreds of thousands of good-paying American jobs.”

--President Clinton

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“I can say we have had a big success globally. On all the important sectors we obtained what we wanted.”

--Alain Juppe, French foreign minister

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“I’m all in favor of the French having their own film industry and supporting their own film industry, but I’m not in favor of trade restrictions.”

--Mike Medavoy, chairman of TriStar Pictures

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“The European cultural identity has been saved. French agriculture sees its future secure.”

--Edouard Balladur, French prime minister

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“The sword of Damocles has been hanging over us. Cognac could have been a hostage in the event of a trade war.”

--Joelle Jezequel, spokeswoman for Remy Cointreau, the French cognac maker

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“The principal nations simply decided that the risks (of a collapse) were unacceptable. The gains were clearly larger than any potential losses.”

--William E. Brock, former U.S. trade representative

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“We are extremely pleased. This is the equivalent of 14 NAFTAs for us.”

--William C. Lane, a Washington lobbyist for Caterpillar Inc.

BEYOND WORDS

Other reaction to the agreement:

* Seoul: 1,000 militant students clashed with riot police near the U.S. Embassy in protest at American pressure that led to an end of South Korea’s ban on imported rice.

* India: Farmers staged sit-ins and Parliament broke out in uproar following reports that Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao had agreed to the deal. Farmers fear the end of government subsidies and high royalty payments on seeds patented by U.S.-owned companies.

* Paris: Prime Minister Edouard Balladur got a one-minute standing ovation from conservative lawmakers for his high-risk bargaining that yielded unexpected U.S. concessions and new prestige for France.