Cablegate: Kenya Not yet Contemplating Censuring Wipo Dg Kamal Idris
VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHNR #3688 2611316
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181316Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2317
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4243
UNCLAS NAIROBI 003688
SIPDIS
COMMERCE FOR USPTO PAUL SALMON
STATE ALSO FOR IO/T FRANZ ZICHY, AF/EPS, AND AF/E
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC WIPO KIPR KE
SUBJECT: KENYA NOT YET CONTEMPLATING CENSURING WIPO DG KAMAL IDRIS
FOR ETHICAL MISCONDUCT
REFS: (A) STATE 128333 (B) NAIROBI 2475 AND PREVIOUS
1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
For USG internal distribution only.
2. (SBU) Kenya's Acting Director of its Copyright Board within the
Attorney General's Office, Marisella Ouma, said September 17 that
members of Kenya's delegation to next week's WIPO General Assembly
in Geneva have yet to discuss WIPO Director General Kamil Idris's
violation of staff rules and ethical standards. Ouma reiterated
comments made earlier this summer (ref B) that Kenya and other WIPO
members are well aware of the DG's lapses of integrity, marked by
his misrepresentation of his actual date of birth; but, she
continued, there does not appear to be any groundswell of support
calling for his resignation. She said participants at the June
18-22 WIPO standing committee meetings, which she attended, did not
bring up Idris. Ouma added that his status is not part of the WIPO
General Assembly's agenda.
3. (SBU) After econoff underscored again USG objections to Idris
remaining as WIPO DG, Ouma promised to discuss his improprieties
with the Kenyan head of delegation, Ministry of Trade and Industry
Permanent Representative David Nalo, and other delegation members
and point out our stance that he should resign.
Ranneberger