[Ip-health] AP on US-Andean FTA negotiations

[Mike Palmedo]

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8CNFJ5O3.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down&chan=db

U.S., three S. American nations begin talks

By KIM HOUSEGO
Associated Press
September 19, 2005

SEP. 19 1:46 P.M. ET  The United States began a new round of
negotiations Monday with Peru, Ecuador and Colombia for a proposed
free-trade agreement aimed at giving the three South American nations
tariff-free access to U.S. markets.

[snip]

There are also worries that pharmaceutical patent protection clauses
sought by Washington will cause medicine costs in the Andean region to
soar because local production of generic drugs would become illegal.

Colombia's top trade negotiator, Hernando Jose Gomez, said Monday he was
confident progress will be made during the five days of talks in
Cartagena, a Colombian city along the Caribbean.

"Regarding intellectual property, the expectation is that we will have
an agreement in the areas of observance, fulfillment and technology
transfers," Gomez told reporters.

Hundreds of police and marines have been deployed in Cartagena to
guarantee security during the talks as Colombia's biggest leftist trade
union organization, known as the CUT, announced plans to stage
demonstrations later in the week.

[snip]