Mike Moore heads for Washington

Mike Moore, director-general of the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation, will travel to Washington this week for his first meetings with Bush Administration officials.

The former New Zealand Prime Minister will meet US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick, Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman.

He will also speak to the Agriculture Department's annual Outlook Conference on the global agriculture industry on February 22. The Bush Administration is on the record as supporting a new round of global talks.