OTTAWA WHO IGWG MEETING POSTPONED, CANADA SHARES

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001764 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EEB, IO, AND WHA/CAN STATE PASS USTR MELLE, SULLIVAN, AND GARDE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD KIPR WTRO WHO CA SUBJECT: OTTAWA WHO IGWG MEETING POSTPONED, CANADA SHARES USG'S IPR CONCERNS REF: STATE 121503 ¶1. (SBU) On September 14 Econoff delivered points in reftel to Julie Boisvert, Senior Trade Policy Analyst, Intellectual Property, Information, and Technology Trade Policy Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Boisvert said that Canada shares the USG's concerns about the anti-IPR focus of the IGWG. She also quickly pointed out that the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) scheduled to be held in Ottawa On September 20 has been postponed until mid-October. This schedule change was at the request of the delegations from several Latin American countries, Boisvert said. These delegations claimed that they have not yet had enough time to formulate their positions after the most recent meeting in Brazil of like-minded member states (to which the United States was not invited). ¶2. (SBU) Boisvert said that Canada is concerned about the anti-IPR focus of the IGWG and agrees that the World Health Organization (WHO) does not have the technical know-how to advise on trade and IPR issues. Therefore, the Canadian delegation is including Canadian IPR and trade experts at IGWG meetings. She also said that Canada will push for the PAHO IGWG to coordinate its work with the WTO and WIPO - organizations that do have technical competence on trade and IPR matters. Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap WILKINS