PROGRAM REPORTING: SPEAKER ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

UNCLAS LIMA 005252 SIPDIS STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA (CBARONE),IIP/T/ES (GCHRISTISON),INFO WHA/PDA (MDCONNERS/GADAMS/SLEBENS/),WHA/PD (GGALLEGOS),WHA/AND (JMONSERRAT) E.O.12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP PE SUBJECT: PROGRAM REPORTING: SPEAKER ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS -- TRACKER 25094 ¶1. Armando Irizarry, Counsel for Intellectual Property Rights at the Federal Trade Commission's Office of Policy and Coordination, visited Lima under PAS auspices from November 2-3, ¶2005. Mr. Irizarry's schedule included meetings with key IPR players from the public and private sectors, a videoconference, participation in the American Chamber of Commerce's (AmCham) IPR conference and press interviews. Mr. Irizarry's message was consistent: IPR enforcement is critical to create an attractive investment climate and requires a coordinated government effort. He also focused on U.S. IPR best practices and the importance of IPR protection with regards to the U.S. Andean Free Trade Agreement. ¶2. During his visit, Mr. Irizarry met with GOP officials at the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Intellectual Property (INDECOPI); lunched with members of the Motion Picture Association; and spoke at the Amcham's tenth annual conference on Intellectual Property Rights titled "Opportunities and Development: Intellectual Property and FTA." Approximately 300 people attended the event, a mix of prominent business leaders, young entrepreneurs and Peruvian government officials. RPP, Peru's leading national radio station, interviewed Mr. Irizarry live and Centrist Daily Peru 21 (Lima circulation 40,000) published a one-page article in its November 4th edition titled "U.S. Demands Peru to intensify enforcement actions to fight against piracy." Mr. Irizarry's message reached two key audiences, business leaders, and through extensive press coverage and videoconference, the general public. Both groups received a clear signal of the importance of patents and IPR protection to the USG, from a noted USG expert. This message is especially timely as Peru and the U.S. enter the final stages of FTA negotiations with IPR protection being one of the most sensitive chapters. ¶3. U.S. support: Program was funded with FY06 I bucks. Post wishes to thank IIP/T/ES, Gretchen Christison for recruiting an excellent speaker and for her close coordination with post. POWERS