UNCLAS AMMAN 002981

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ELA AND EEB
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR (GROVES, FRANCESKI)
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USPTO (LEIFMAN, REVES)
STATE PLEASE PASS TO LOC (METZGER)
DHS FOR ICE (LOVETT)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD KIPR JO AL
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE ESTABLISHES IPR OFFICE AND HOSTS REGIONAL
CONFERENCE

REF: AMMAN 2929


1. (SBU) Summary: The Arab Federation for the Protection of
Intellectual Property Rights (AFPIPR), an intellectual property
rights (IPR) organization affiliated with the Arab League, opened
its Jordan office earlier this summer and received diplomatic
accreditation on October 9. On October 28, AFPIPR hosted a regional
conference on IPR protection with over 200 participants. End
Summary.



2. (U) This summer, Dr. Mohammed Al-Rhahleh, Regional Manager of
AFPIPR opened an office in Amman (reftel). Foreign Minister
Salahiddin Al Bashir signed an agreement with AFPIPR on October 9
formally recognizing the establishment of a regional branch of AFPIP
in Jordan. At the press conference, it was stated that Jordan is
eager to support efforts of the federation to protect intellectual
property rights.


3. (U) AFPIPR, together with Jordan Customs and the Aqaba Special
Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) hosted a regional conference on
October 28 on "The Role of Arab Customs in Protecting IPR - Reality
and Ambition." More than 200 participants from the region including
Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Sudan, and Kuwait attended the
conference. During Al-Rhahleh's remarks he emphasized the close
ties between economic growth, trade, international investment and
intellectual property rights protection, and the importance of the
WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights (TRIPs Agreement). Officials from Jordan Customs and AZEZA
further emphasized the necessary partnership between the public and
private sector in this area.


4. (SBU) AFPIPR has completed several MOU's with IPR stakeholders
in Jordan, most notably the Jordan Customs Department.

Visit Amman's Classified Website at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman

BEECROFT