CANADA EQUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WIPO DIRECTOR

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000637 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR WHA/CAN AND EEB/TPP/IPE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD AORC WIPO PREL KIPR CA SUBJECT: CANADA EQUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WIPO DIRECTOR GENERAL ELECTION REF: STATE 47559 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ¶1. (U) On May 6 Econoff delivered reftel points to Doug George, Director, Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Trade Policy Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. George (protect) said Canada shares the USG's concern regarding the upcoming WIPO DG election. Canada believes that the ideal DG candidate needs to have significant relevant experience, be well respected in the IP community, and have a clear vision for the direction of WIPO. He explained that the current situation is a critical time for WIPO and if the election "goes the wrong way, it might not be possible to recover." ¶2. (SBU) George's office has advised the Minister of International Trade that it has four "preferred" candidates and that the other candidates are either "acceptable" or "unacceptable." The Minister has not yet decided which candidate Canada will support. George said there is "significant overlap" between Canada's four preferred candidates and the USG's five recommended candidates. ¶3. (SBU) The candidates that currently have the most support, George believes, are Australia's Dr. Gurry, Japan's Yo Takago, and Pakistan's Ambassador Khan. George said that the amount of support that he sees for Ambassador Khan is particularly troubling. Khan is not a preferred candidate or an acceptable candidate to Canada. ¶4. (SBU) George believes that any candidate who can not speak English or does not have credibility within the IP community will likely be eliminated very quickly from the DG race. George said that he is not impressed by Enrique Manalo, the candidate from the Philippines or Dr. Gjorgji Filipov, the candidate from Macedonia. He also commented that he does not believe that Dr. Bojan Pretnar of Slovenia has much support and is surprised that he is on the U.S. recommended list. Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada RODDY