[Pharm-policy] Dominican Republic now a member of WIPO

[James Love]

This from Mark Raijmakers.  Also, apparently the is a hearing on DR
violations of IPR on April 13.  I'll try to get detail.  Plus, 2 persons
from DR told us user day that USG is putting big pressure on DR over
compulsory licensing, trying exports to USA to pressured to drop
provision.  Jamie


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 13:00:32 +0200
From: "Mark Raijmakers, Wemos" <mark.raijmakers@wemos.nl>

Subject: Dominican Republic now a member of WIPO

>From DR One mailing list news:

2. DR now a member of WIPO
The Dominican Republic is a full member of the World
Intellectual Property organization (WIPO) as of 27 March. In
Geneva, Switzerland, for the occasion, Minister of Industry
and Commerce Luis Manuel Bonetti said the DR obtained the
membership along the lines of the new diplomacy implemented
by the Fernndez administration.
	In a speech, he said that the DR identifies with the WIPO
directors vision of intellectual property being a tool at
the service of trade and development. He said the DR is
challenged to reorient its development strategies to become
part of the new knowledge society. 
	He said the support by impartial international
organizations such as the WIPO and the WTO are the best
guarantee that small and open developing countres such as
the DR are able to exercise rights and obligations according
to best national interests. "And this is of great relevance
because this year all developing countries will have to
implement the agreement on "Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights" (TRIPS)," he said.
	Bonetti said that the developing world is facing severe
pressures, out of all proportion, in order to implement this
agreement for the exclusive benefit of producers of
technological knowledge. "Has it been forgotten that the
benefit has to be reciprocal for producers and users of
technological knowledge, in such way as to foster social and
economic welfare and the balance of rights and obligations
among the Member countries of that agreement?," he asked.
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