"I have not had any indication from anybody that this could be the case… I think that is what we need to do — be ready for the conversation, to be ready to engage in deepening the relations with the US and other WTO members," Azevedo said at a press conference.
According to Azevedo, the WTO is remaining a very important partner of the United States and it is necessary to wait until Trump defines the US trade policy.
"We have to look at the details, we have to look on what has actually been done in that context, will there be negotiation, will there be negotiation about new agreements or another initiative to replace it there, will there be another trade policy that come into place seeking to advance their interests. I think it is really early to decide what the implications are. We have to responsibly wait and see what would be the facts," Azevedo added.
During the election campaign, Trump said he would take the United States out of a number of international trade agreements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), leave the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) free trade zone and impose tariffs on imports from China and Mexico.
Trump has repeatedly expressed the desire to shift the focus from the global trade to national economic development and bilateral trade deals in order to support the US economy and bring jobs back to the country.
