The United States appeal of the World Trade Organisation disputes panel decision on New Zealand lamb imports was no surprise, Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton said today.

The United States formally lodged an appeal with the WTO in Geneva yesterday.

Mr Sutton said it had been widely expected that the United States would appeal the WTO decision that the safeguard measures imposed on New Zealand and Australian lamb imports were unfair.

"Officials have been preparing a case for the anticipated appeal, which should be heard early this year. We believe our case is extremely strong and expect it will be upheld, despite the appeal."

Meat NZ's annual report says that $175 million was earned from lamb imports to the United States in the year till September 2000.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>