Oct , 1990

WIPO: ARPAD BOGSCH NOMINATED FOR RE-ELECTION FOR ANOTHER TERM.

GENEVA, SEPTEMBER 27 (BY CHAKRAVARTHI RAGHAVAN)— Dr. Arpad Bogsch, Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has been unanimously nominated for re-election by the WIPO for a new term of four years.

The decision to nominate Bogsch, 72, was taken unanimously at meeting of the coordination committee of the WIPO this week.

The actual election by the governing bodies of the WIPO will be in 1991. But the procedures for election and past practices means that the nomination by the coordinating committee makes this a formality and assures his unanimous re-election next year.

Under the WIPO election procedures and practice, re-affirmed in April last, the coordination committee, which has a complex membership representing the various WIPO bodies, makes the nomination a year ahead, and this will be considered by the governing bodies of the WIPO and its general assembly next year.

While the normal term of a WIPO executive head is six years, for "personal reasons", Bogsch sought only a four-year term.

Bogsch, a U.S. national who has been holding this office since 1973, was re-nominated by the U.S. and seconded by India.

Italy had earlier proposed its national, Mr. Marco Fortini, and, supported by Argentina, had sought a secret ballot. But the strength of support for Bogsch from Third World countries and several others resulted ultimately in Fortini's candidature being withdrawn, and Bogsch's unanimous nomination. In seconding and supporting Bogsch’s nomination India, and several other Third World countries which spoke later, praised him for his stewardship of the Organisation for the last 17 years and for his "balanced perspective" vis-a-vis interests of Third World countries whether in development cooperation programmes or balance view of Third World interests.

In an obvious reference to the U.S. push in GATT for creating new regime there on IPR issues (whose various existing international conventions are being administered by WIPO), India said that t WIPO faced an unprecedented challenge and someone of Bogsch's calibre, experience and commitment to the Organisation and its mandate was needed to tide the Organisation through.