The 4th Geneva Global Arbitration Forum

Thursday October 27, 1994

• The GATT/WTO dispute resolution mechanism
• The NAFTA investment arbitration mechanism

8:00 Registration

9:00 Introduction

Morning session: The GATT/WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism

9:15 Will the new GATT/WTO dispute resolution mechanism bring peace to the world trading system?

Norio Komuro
Professor, International Economic Law, Faculty of Law, Kobe University, Japan
Legal Adviser to the Japan Machinery Exporter's Association

10:00 An overview of the GATT/WTO dispute resolution system – its relationship with the Codes

Edwin Vermulst
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer, Feld & Dassesse, Brussels

10:45 Coffee

11:15 Dispute resolution mechanism: will the United States play by the rules?

Gary N. Horlick
O'Melveny & Myers, Washington, D.C.

12:00 Panel discussion with the speakers and

Joel Davidow
Ablondi, Foster & Sobin, Washington, D.C.

Frieder Roessler
Director, Legal Affairs Division, GATT

Lei Wang
Department of International Trade & Economic Relations
Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations & Trade
The People Republic of China

13:00 Lunch

Afternoon session: The NAFTA Investment Arbitration Mechanism

14:30 The NAFTA investment arbitration mechanism

Guillermo Aguilar Alvarez
General Director, Office of Legal Analysis of NAFTA, Mexico
Former General Counsel of the ICC Court of International Arbitration

15:15 Panel discussion on "The NAFTA Investment arbitration mechanism: a model to emulate?" with the speakers and

Horacio Grigera Naon
Senior Counsel, International Finance Corporation, Washington, D.C.

Pierre Karrer
Pestalozzi, Gmür & Patry, Zurich

William W. Park
Professor of Law, Boston University
Counsel, Ropes & Gray, Boston
Vice-President, London Court of International Arbitration

Wolfgang Peter
Pirenne Python Schifferli Peter & Associés, Geneva

The conference will end at 16:30

Conference chairman: Jacques Werner