GENEVA. Dec 31: The United State*. the European Union and Canada joined yesterday in a symbolic ceremony clearing the way for the launch on January 1 of the new World Trade Organisation, reports Reuter

To champagne toast envoys of the three big trading powers. including officials of the 12 current EU countries, handed over documents confirming their ratification of the international treaty that sets up the WTO

The formal act meant that all four members of the "quad" group that dominates the world trading scene were on board for the WTO launch. Japan delivered Its ratification instruments on Tuesday, earlier than the others for "technical reasons'

This Is a historic occasion for the United States and for the other countries that have accepted lite agreement . US Ac ting Chief of Mission to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Andrew Staler, told Reuters

'll is a great achievement that together wtth the United •Rates obd Canada we could -ratify and then deposit the rat

ideation instruments together Pierre Leng, the European Union s Ambassador.

In a message from Spain where he Is on holiday GATT chief Peter Sutherland who becomes interim head of WTO. said the fact that at least 85 countries had now ratified or accepted the accord was "a marvellous start' for the new hodv

These accounted for the vast bulk of world trade. It is a very good omen for the future / be declared GATT currently has 125 members, and eventu-aDy some 145 are expected to come mtd the new organisation.

ThcWTO is the centrepiece of the world trade treaty nego-tiated over seven rears in GATT s Uruguay Round It cuts tariffs by an average of more than one third and opens mar kets for services farm produce arid textiles

Over the coming year, if will absorb (JATT. which has lasted 46 years aa a 'temporary body' because of the Mg traders' failure In the late 1940* to agree on a more powerful body