DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY FROM WIPO: BARBADOS

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000834 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR AND IO/T E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD KIPR EINV SUBJECT: DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY FROM WIPO: BARBADOS RESPONSE REF: STATE 80345 ¶1. (SBU) On June 22, post delivered reftel demarche in a meeting with officials from the Barbados Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Officials were unaware of the unethical behavior of WIPO Director General Kamil Idris, but agreed that the basic tenets of accountability should be applied if standards at WIPO are compromised. ¶2. (SBU) On June 22, Simone Rutter, Director of the Multilateral Division at the Barbados Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade called EconOff to follow-up on reftel demarche. Rutter expressed support for accountability in principle, but did not offer a specific commitment in support of holding DG Idris accountable for his ethics violations at WIPO. Rutter also told EconOff that her ministry had delivered the key points of reftel demarche to its mission in Geneva, but that Barbados would not make an official statement on the matter until all investigations are concluded. However, Rutter told EconOff that Barbados would closely coordinate its position with other GRULAC members. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: Rutter responded to the reftel demarche in a typical Eastern Caribbean fashion: while Barbados may share USG concerns about DG Idris' behavior, it is not ready to take any action, prefering instead to "monitor the situation closely." End Comment. GILROY