GATT CASE AGAINST JAPAN A MODEL FOR U.S. - LYNG Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng said the ruling of a GATT panel on a U.S. trade complaint against Japan, expected soon, may influence the U.S. stance in negotiations with Tokyo on beef and citrus import quotas. The ruling of a GATT tribunal on a U.S. demand that Japan end quotas on 12 categories of food items is expected by the end of the year. Lyng said he is optimistic the ruling will favor the U.S. "These are quota items, and the principles that apply to them, it seems to me, will have some bearing on the question of whether you would have quotas or not on beef and citrus," Lyng told Reuters in an interview. He repeated the U.S. demand that Japan lift the quotas on beef and citrus after March 31, next year. The Japanese quotas on 12 food categories which the United States has challenged include items such as tomato paste, some cheeses and specialty fruit juices. U.S. officials had hoped a ruling against the quotas would be issued earlier this year but the GATT panel decision has been delayed by the illness of the tribunal's chairman. The U.S. has taken a hardline stance on the beef and citrus quotas, which Tokyo says must remain in place to protect Japanese farmers. "We will not negotiate new quotas or accept new quotas (on beef and citrus). If they impose them we would consider that an illegal action in the GATT, Lyng said. He declined to say what action the U.S. would take next April if Japan continues to resist U.S. demands.