Cablegate: Not a Good Idea - Wipo Proposal On Avian Influenza

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS GENEVA 002670

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EB, IO/T AND OES/IHA
COMMERCE FOR USPTO
PASS TO HHS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIPR TBIO WIPO
SUBJECT: NOT A GOOD IDEA - WIPO PROPOSAL ON AVIAN INFLUENZA
AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

1. This is an action message. See paragraph 6.

2. Ambassador Moley met November 1, at her request, with
Rita Hayes, Deputy Director General WIPO, to discuss a
proposed WIPO-hosted meeting of a high-level advisory group
for intellectual property and avian flu. Econ Counselor and
Health Attach also joined the meeting.

3. Noting a recent meeting in Washington between WIPO Deputy
Director Francis Gurry and Commerce/USPTO officials, Hayes
opened the meeting by giving the Ambassador a copy of a memo
from Gurry to the WIPO Director General outlining the
purposes of the meeting (text emailed to the Department
separately). Hayes said DG Idris had approved the proposal
in principle but was interested in the U.S. reaction before
implementing it.

4. Noting that intellectual property issues were "under
scrutiny," Hayes said WIPO wanted to be out in front of the
ongoing debate about IP and avian/pandemic influenza. She
described the proposed meeting as outreach to member states
and other stakeholders. Hayes expressed some concern about
whether the mix of countries to be invited was correct
(Brazil, China, EU/EC, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russian
Federation, South Africa, USA) and whether or not to include
the World Health Organization.

5. Ambassador Moley responded that he would need guidance on
the WIPO proposal. Reacting informally, he wondered whether
such a meeting could avoid providing a platform or target for
anti-IP activists. Limiting participation to only a few
members states would invite criticism of those excluded,
whereas an "open forum" could degenerate into the debates on
the role of IP that have dominated recent WIPO meetings.
Timing of such a meeting would also be problematic - the
crisis has been fast moving and much could have happened by
the proposed date of December. However, it would be difficult
to organize such a meeting more quickly. While awaiting a
U.S. reply, the Ambassador suggested that it would be useful
for Director General Idris to seek a briefing from Roche on
its plans for dealing with the crisis in order to disseminate
accurate, first-hand information to interested parties.
Hayes agreed this was a sensible approach and mentioned that
WIPO officials would discuss this matter with the World Trade
Organization in the next days.

6. Mission requests guidance on responding to Hayes's
request for U.S. views on the WIPO proposal, noting that it
has strong reservations about its utility of and about WIPO's
ability to avoid an undesirable outcome.
Moley

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