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Editorial: The New York Times

  • A new method of doing business at the WTO is being celebrated - one that prioritizes listening to each other's interests and goals and coming up with creative ways to achieve them jointly, leading to significant progress in reform.
  • Guatemalan diplomat Marco Molina used 'interest-based negotiation' during the talks, an approach uncommon to the WTO, successfully proving its efficacy despite partial threats.
  • The new model serves as a blueprint for U.S. leadership in a multipolar world - the U.S. supported Molina's facilitator role despite some reservations.
  • Molina's process has restored faith in the WTO, and has been a driver of trust among members.
  • Molina's abrupt removal by the new Guatemalan government implies a setback in the reform process, demonstrating how fragile consensus-building can be.

Conclusion: Despite the threats and setbacks, international diplomats worked together on a different approach and saw that it worked. This success highlights the efficacy of interest-based negotiation, and the possibility of similar methods being adopted in the future.