Britain Criticizes US Steel Tariffs

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Wednesday he hopes the World Trade Organization rules against recently imposed United States steel tariffs, saying the US decision is "regrettable".

During a question-and-answer session in the House of Commons, Blair, who has criticized the tariffs before, said his cabinet ministers would do "everything we can" to help those Britons who could lose their jobs because of the US steel tariff decision.

He was urged by Derek Wyatt, a governing Labor Party legislator,to take "speedy" resolution to the World Trade Organization against the United States "within days rather than months." Wyatt said the US steel tariff proposals could seriously harm British steel industry and also hurt some British banks.

"I hope very much the World Trade Organization do rule against the United States in this regard," said Blair.

The US administration recently extended through the summer its consideration of exemptions from the hefty steel tariffs PresidentGeorge W. Bush imposed on imports in March.

More than 1,200 American companies that use foreign steel have asked the US Commerce Department for exemptions from the tariffs of up to 30 percent.

The tariffs have led to rising tensions with America's trading partners, including the European Union and Japan, which have challenged the sanctions at the World Trade Organization.

The British government has recently repeatedly criticized the US decision. But Washington seemed uninterested in changing its policy.

(Xinhua News Agency July 11, 2002)