Finance and trade ministers along with other high-level officials from approximately 134 countries will meet in Seattle, WA November 29-December 2. They hope to launch their agenda for advancing free trade in the next century through the World Trade Organization (WTO). This event may well be a defining moment in the political and economic history of the next century, if not the new millennium, as the ministers hope. No individual or community anywhere in the world will be immune from its impact.

World trade and investment patterns profoundly influence the quality of life on this planet as well as determine the ecological and social inheritance we leave future generations. In fact, the ramifications can be even more stark. People live and die based on the rules nations and multilateral institutions set for trade and investment in such products and services as weapons and military technology, pharmaceuticals, food, and toxic chemicals. Even rules for patenting genes are being set by the WTO. Consequently, trade and investment policies are among the most critical moral questions of our day. We believe people of faith have a moral imperative to speak out on these issues and to participate in shaping the policies which affect them. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, in his teachings on slavery and trade set an example for not allowing trade that ignores morals.

While the officials meet, thousands of people representing various non-governmental organizations from the US and around the world will gather to learn, discuss, and strategize around alternative trade policies, campaigns and institutions. We are proud that the primary venue for much of this public discussion is Seattle First United Methodist Church. We are thankful for the Christian witness shown by the congregation as it opens its doors to this international interchange.

We are concerned that many equate criticism of the WTO and the various multilateral agreements it administers with a nationalistic, jingoistic, anti-trade agenda. The United Methodist Church is a global church. We have 9.5-million members and ministries in 163 nations. We celebrate global interdependence among all peoples. We recognize the necessity for international trade and the reality of a global economy. However, we realize that the shape of that economy is man-made, not God-given. As a human creation -- in fact, one primarily shaped by men in the wealthiest nations of the world -- the global economy reflects severe imbalances in economic, political and social power. Unequal power among individuals, businesses and nations is exacerbated by current trade and investment policies and by institutions such as the WTO.

Current multilateral trade and investment agreements promote profits over the well-being of people and the planet. Current policies do not ensure that everyone benefits equally from new trade and investments. We are troubled by the greed and short-sightedness inherent in the rules and institutions which shape global trade and investment patterns. We call upon United Methodists and other people of faith to work to change this. As one specific step, we are calling for the WTO and relevant UN agencies to engage in a comprehensive social and environmental impact assessment of existing multilateral trade and investment agreements and enforcement mechanisms under the WTO's purview. This should be done before proceeding with any new agreements.

In recent weeks, the extent to which the World Trade Organization functions anti-democratically has become even more evident. Smaller nations in the global South have been excluded from last minute negotiations under the guise of efficiency and expediency. We decry this race to finalize a ministerial statement at all costs and call upon WTO officials and governmental delegations from countries of the North to halt such practices. If an agenda for negotiations cannot be determined by an open democratic process where all countries can participate on their own behalf, then there is no legitimate basis to go forward.

The General Board of Global Ministries is the mission agency of The United Methodist Church. The Women's Division of the GBGM advocates for the oppressed and the dispossessed with special attention to the needs of women, children, and youth. The General Board of Church and Society is the international public policy and social action agency of The United Methodist Church.

November 30, 1999