SAUDIS RESPOND POSITIVELY TO IPR ACTION PLAN

UNCLAS RIYADH 001682 SIPDIS STATE PASS TO USTR FOR JASON BUNTIN AND JENNIFER GROVES E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD EINV KIPR SA SUBJECT: SAUDIS RESPOND POSITIVELY TO IPR ACTION PLAN REF: STATE 94865 ¶1. Post delivered the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Action Plan (reftel) to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) via diplomatic note on September 22. On November 9, econoff met with Mohammad Al-Aiyash, Director General of International Trade and Chairman of the IPR Committee at the MOCI. ¶2. Aiyash confirmed he received the Action Plan in September and that his Ministry has begun collaborating with the Ministry of Culture and Information to improve IPR enforcement in Saudi Arabia. He continued that the SAG looked forward to working closely with the USG on all aspects of this issue, saying: "People are catching on to the trend now, at the highest levels, that IPR infringement is a crime." He listed examples of actions that have already been taken to date, including spontaneous raids on suspected counterfeit dealers and establishment of higher fines for violations. ¶3. Aiyash responded with enthusiasm to the suggestion of a teleconference and said he would follow up with econoff once identifying who from the SAG would participate. RUNDELL