Cablegate: Ottawa Who Igwg Meeting Postponed, Canada Shares
VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHOT #1764 2602040
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 172040Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6552
INFO RUEAUSA/HHS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1250
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