News In Brief

The takeover fight for U S West Inc. and Frontier Corp. appeared to be ending in a compromise that would split the targets between two bidders, according to sources close to the talks. They said Denver-based Qwest International was expected to win U S West, the regional telephone company also based in the Colorado capital. Meanwhile, Global Crossing of Bermuda was expected to acquire Frontier, a long-distance and local phone company whose headquarters are in Rochester, N.Y.

In a bid to end the long struggle for leadership of the World Trade Organization, the government of Thailand said its candidate would be willing to wait his turn if given a free hand for the final years of the term. Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi has been in an increasingly bitter battle for the job with ex-New Zealand Prime Minister Michael Moore. Under the offer, Moore would serve the first three of the six-year post, then turn it over to Panitchpakdi. Neither has enough votes to win outright, and both refuse to withdraw their candidacies. The battle began even before the term of the WTO's first director-general, Renato Ruggiero of Italy, expired in April.

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