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      WO/CC/50/3
      ORIGINAL:       English
      DATE: September 3, 2003

WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION

GENEVA

WIPO COORDINATION COMMITTEE

Fiftieth (17th Extraordinary) Session
Geneva, September 2 and 3, 2003

REPORT

adopted by the Coordination Committee

 

1. Convened by the Director General, the WIPO Coordination Committee (“the Coordination Committee”) met at the headquarters of WIPO on September 2 and 3, 2003.

2. The meeting was presided over by the Chair of the Coordination Committee, Ambassador Joaquín Pérez-Villanueva y Tovar (Spain).

3. The following Member States of the Coordination Committee were represented at the meeting: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Egypt, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Latvia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United States of America, Uruguay and Zambia (49).

4. The following States were represented in an observer capacity: Barbados, Belarus, Congo, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Holy See, Lithuania, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Peru, Rwanda, Slovakia and Viet Nam (14).

5. The list of participants appears in the Annex to the present document.

 

Agenda

6. The Coordination Committee adopted its agenda as proposed in document WO/CC/50/1.

 

Appointment of Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General, and Advice on Appointment to Post at Grade D.1

7. Discussions were based on document WO/CC/50/2.

8. The Director General thanked the distinguished delegates for the extensive support they had extended to WIPO in pursuance of its noble objectives. He stated that document WO/CC/50/2 was self-explanatory. He proposed the consolidation of the senior management team of WIPO, pointing out that the appointment of this team was critical for WIPO to be able to carry out its duties effectively. The Coordination Committee was invited to approve the appointments of Mrs. Rita Hayes, Mr. Philippe Petit, Mr. Francis Gurry and Mr. Geoffrey Yu as Deputy Directors General for the period from December 1, 2003 to November 30, 2006, Mr. Narendra Sabharwal as Deputy Director General for the period from December 1, 2006 to November 30, 2009 and Mr. Ernesto Rubio and Mr. Khamis Suedi as Assistant Directors General for the period from December 1, 2003 to November 30, 2006, as well as to give advice on the appointment of Mr. Valentine Oushakov to a post at Grade D.1. The Director General concluded that he counted on the support of the Coordination Committee to approve the proposed appointments.

9. In addition to their general expression of support for the Director General’s proposals, and their expression of thanks and best wishes to the outgoing Deputy Directors General, Mr. Roberto Castelo and Mr. Shozo Uemura, several delegations listed in paragraphs 3 and 4, above, made more specific statements, the summaries of which are provided below.

10. The Delegation of Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC), stated that its Group was committed to the tasks that the Director General, Dr. Kamil Idris planned to carry out together with his team during his second term of office. The Delegation emphasized that GRULAC approved the comprehensive proposal contained in document WO/CC/50/2. Every process implied change, and GRULAC Members knew that in the next few months new officials would come along with new ideas and new positions that they hoped would bring a renewed desire to encourage intellectual property as a true instrument for development, in particular, in the developing countries. The Group gave its particular support to the appointment by the Director General of Mr. Ernesto Rubio to be one of the two Assistant Directors General. Mr. Rubio was very closely identified with the region as he was in charge of the Bureau of Latin America and the Caribbean for more than 10 years. He was fully conversant with the needs and the strengths of the region and of the developing countries, and GRULAC was sure that his commitment to the region would be an important stimulant for intellectual property. The Delegation of Costa Rica stressed that the Group was sincerely grateful to Mr. Roberto Castelo for the commitment and devotion shown during his term of office to the Latin American and Caribbean region and in general, to the developing countries. His term of office in charge of Cooperation for Development provided the region with the possibility of developing projects of various sizes, not only through the encouragement and the improvement of legal norms but also through equipping the national offices, training human resources and exchanging national experiences. GRULAC wished Mr. Castelo every success in his future professional activities. The Delegation of Costa Rica wished to express the concern of the members of GRULAC that they looked forward to greater and more significant representation in the higher echelons of WIPO. The valuable human resources that existed already in the region could be made much better use of by the Organization, and they, therefore, called the Director General’s attention to the fact that in the future, attention should be given to developing the human and professional capacities at the decision-making level of representatives of the Central American sub-region. The Delegation repeated GRULAC’s support for all the nominations, in particular, that of Mr. Ernesto Rubio, and hoped that the new team would be firmly committed to the interests and the needs, and to developing capacities of developing countries, and that the development dimensions of all its activities would be a common priority for the Organization.

11. The Delegation of Zambia, speaking on behalf of the African Group, stressed that the task before the Coordination Committee was very clear but was also very important. The Delegation expressed the satisfaction of the African Group to endorse and approve all the appointments that had been proposed. The African Group wished to congratulate and commend all the colleagues, whose names they had just approved, for their hard work and dedication to the Organization as well as for their efforts in trying to ensure that developing countries in general and African countries, in particular, receive all the necessary assistance, in improving their participation on issues of intellectual property, and draw benefits from the intellectual property system. The Group was also pleased that all the appointed officials were persons who are appropriately qualified and possess tremendous wealth of experience in matters of WIPO. While congratulating all of them on their well deserved appointments, the Delegation of Zambia stated that the Group was particularly happy and proud to see its fellow African, Mr. Khamis Suedi, join the ranks of those that had been elevated to the post of Assistant Director General, as a recognition of the significant contribution that he has made to WIPO. The Group had no doubt that Mr. Suedi would continue to faithfully serve the Organization and live up to the expectations, not only of the African Continent, but of the United Nations system and the world at large. The African Group was also pleased to approve the appointment of Mr. Valentine Oushakov to the post at Grade D.1. The Delegation of Zambia expressed the Group’s appreciation to Messrs. Roberto Castelo and Shozo Uemura. They had faithfully served the Organization and would be remembered for their commitment to WIPO. The African Group therefore wished them good luck in their future endeavors, and stated that they would like them to remember that they leave behind friends who love them and appreciate their work. The Delegation concluded by wishing the new team a productive term of office, but also wished to take the opportunity to make an appeal based on the fact that the African region continued to have the least capacity to benefit from the intellectual property system under WIPO. The African Group therefore stressed that it would count on the new team to continue to support the Director General and intensify the good work done during Dr. Kamil Idris’ first term of office, in assisting African countries to strengthen their human and institutional capacities to enable them rise to the challenge.

12. The Delegation of the Philippines, speaking on behalf of the Asian Group, wished to reiterate that the value and effectiveness of any Organization depended to a great extent on its leadership. The appointments were therefore crucial as they would have a huge impact on the performance of WIPO. The Asian Group commended the Director General for submitting nominations of high calibre individuals with unassailable track records. WIPO was fortunate to have at its disposal one of the strongest talent pool in the United Nations system. The Asian Group was particularly honored to see the names of Mr. Geoffrey Yu of Singapore and Mr. Narenda Sabharwal of India among the appointees. The Group was certain that Messrs. Yu and Sabharwal would make the Asian Group proud as they embark on their higher responsibilities. The Delegation of the Philippines said that the Director General was well aware that the Asian Group had always extended him its support and cooperation. While it helps that the Director General’s appointees already possessed impressive credentials, the Asian Group’s endorsement likewise sprang from the trust and confidence it had in the Director General’s discretion to choose the composition of the senior management staff. The Group also noted that the appointments made by the Director General were vital to successful completion of his work programs. It was in this context that the Asian Group endorsed the appointments that were before the Committee. The Delegation of the Philippines also extended the Group’s appreciation to the outgoing Deputy Directors General Roberto Castelo and Shozo Uemura and wished them well in their future endeavors. The Delegation further stated that the Asian Group was glad to note that the appointments made by the Director General had raised the hope of equal representation among developed and developing countries in the WIPO senior management. While officials from developed countries overwhelmingly dominate the positions of Deputy Director General, the Asian Group was consoled by the fact that the two Assistant Directors General both come from developing countries. The Director General had always espoused the idea of intellectual property as a tool for socio-economic development and wealth creation. Indeed, nowhere does this developmental aspiration ring truer than in Asia and other developing countries. The Asian Group expressed the hope that the newly formed senior management team would render its wholehearted support towards the realization of this noble vision.

13. The Delegation of Kazakhstan, speaking on behalf of the Central Asian, Caucasus and Eastern European Countries, expressed its support for the proposals made by the Director General concerning his team and hoped that it would be strongly committed to the ideals of WIPO in promoting intellectual property. The Group gave its favorable advice on the appointment of Mr. Valentine Oushakov to the post at Grade D.1. The Delegation emphasized that the Group highly appreciated the tremendous efforts of WIPO in strengthening the value of intellectual property in the countries with economies in transition, and they looked forward to WIPO’s continuing focus on the region.

14. The Delegation of Romania, speaking on behalf of the Central European and Baltic States, recalled that during the last extraordinary session of the WIPO General Assembly, the Central European and Baltic States joined the unanimous view and expressed their appreciation for the efficient way in which the Organization, under the leadership of the Director General and his senior management team, had implemented its policy agenda and carried out its planned activities. The activities of WIPO had been managed in a dynamic and transparent way, but also very efficiently, while the performance of the Organization had enabled it to establish itself as one of the leading UN specialized agencies in the knowledge-based economy. The Delegation of Romania noted that the candidates proposed for the senior management of the Organization were all familiar as excellent professionals and there was no doubt that they were capable of performing the important work that was ahead of the Secretariat. The Delegation also recognized that the senior management team would assist the Director General in his everyday work and that it was his prerogative to choose the right people to work with. The Delegation considered that the suggested team had a certain geographical balance, but noted that no representative of Central Europe and the Baltic States appeared among the positions of Deputy and Assistant Directors General, and this had been the case for a number of years. Geographical balance should not be a goal in itself, but it should be a process sustained in the overall staff policy of the Organization, along with other criteria prescribed in Article 9(7) of the Convention establishing WIPO. This view was based on the increased participation and contribution of the Central European and Baltic States to the work of WIPO, determined by a dynamic development and modernization of their intellectual property systems. The special needs of the countries had been recognized by the initiation of a separate program 09 in the WIPO Program and Budget. The Delegation expressed the hope that the experience of the region’s nationals could be better put to use for the benefit of all. The Delegation of Romania further noted that in paragraph 19(ii) of document WO/CC/50/2, the Coordination Committee was invited to approve one appointment from December 1, 2006 to November 30, 2009. Without questioning the candidate, and while in principle agreeing with this candidature, the Group of Central European and Baltic States considered it premature to take a formal decision on the issue at this early stage. Finally, the Delegation, on behalf of its Group, endorsed the proposal by the Director General regarding the senior management team of WIPO as a whole and wished them every success in their future activities.

15. The Delegation of China stated that it fully endorsed the proposal by the Director General for the appointment of the four Deputy Directors General and the two Assistant Directors General and hoped that under the new leadership WIPO would face the challenges before it in an even better way so that the international intellectual property system would meet the needs of all countries including the developing countries.

16. The Delegation of the United States of America thanked the Director General for his intervention and for the slate of candidates. The Delegation was particularly pleased that Mrs. Hayes was being proposed to continue to serve, and had been struck by her tireless efforts on behalf of the Organization. Mrs. Hayes had greatly improved the work of WIPO, particularly in its ability to communicate with the outside world by raising the profile of intellectual property issues globally and strengthening the protection for developers and holders of rights. This had an extremely important impact on global economic growth and well-being and particularly the issue of innovation that had been so crucial for the success of the global economy over the past few decades.

17. The Delegation of India stated its belief that the Director General had obviously given very careful consideration to this important matter, and had submitted a slate of nominees that was judiciously balanced between developed and developing countries, on the one hand, and between the different geographical regions, on the other. In the Delegation’s view, the Director General had achieved this balance while ensuring that his nominees were of the highest calibre, with the experience and expertise needed at the top level for the efficient management of any organization. For an international Organization like WIPO, with a membership that encompassed all five continents, and which had to be sensitive to the concerns of all countries - developed and developing - balance and efficiency were paramount considerations. The Delegation of India was confident that the balance achieved in the proposals before the Committee would ensure, inter alia, that the development dimensions would not be overlooked in the various programs and activities of WIPO. The Delegation was particularly pleased that the post of Deputy Director General currently held by Mr. Castelo, was proposed to be filled by two eminently qualified officers from the Asian region, in accordance with the established convention of regional rotation, and had no doubt that the Coordination Committee would enthusiastically endorse their nominations. Mr. Castelo had discharged his responsibilities as Deputy Director General for Cooperation Development very ably, and the Delegation of India wished to express its appreciation for his stellar contribution to cooperation for development in the field of intellectual property. The Delegation had no doubt that his successors, Mr. Geoffrey Yu and Mr. Narendra Sabharwal, would continue the good work. The Delegation of India was particularly happy at the nomination of Mr. Sabharwal as the Deputy Director General for the three-year period starting December 1, 2006. He was a distinguished member of the Indian Administrative Service, with an outstanding record in Government before he joined WIPO in 1991. With his long professional experience in WIPO, during which he initiated, planned, implemented and supervised WIPO’s development for cooperation program for the Asia-Pacific region, he was eminently qualified for the job. The Delegation of India also stated its appreciation for the contribution made by Mr. Shozo Uemura as Deputy Director General and wished him all success in his future work, and concluded by congratulating the Director General and reiterating the Delegation of India’s full support for the appointments that he had proposed for the posts of Deputy Director General and Assistant Director General from December 1, 2003.

18. The Delegation of Japan stated that it had taken careful note of what other speakers had said on behalf of their regional Groups and wanted to briefly point out the Japanese Government’s standing on the issue of intellectual property and WIPO. It went without saying that the spread of technological development was getting more extensive and was both fuelling, and being fuelled by, globalization. In this context, the Japanese Government was strengthening its governmental structure so that it would be able to better respond to the challenges it faced in the area of intellectual property and hoped that the Government would be able to contribute to the developments in this area. It was in this context that the Government of Japan attached great importance to the activities of WIPO and its role to effectively protect and enforce intellectual property in the rapidly changing environment. The Delegation of Japan wished to applaud the very able leadership of Dr. Kamil Idris, who was demonstrating during his first term, a very able guidance of an Organization which responded very well to the rapidly changing circumstances. The fact that the Director General was collectively entrusted to lead the Secretariat for the second term showed this appreciation was shared by the Member States and it was against this background that the Delegation of Japan and the Government of Japan had been carefully examining the proposal by the Director General on the appointment of Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General. The Delegation wished to underline its appreciation and pay tribute to the two outgoing Deputy Directors General, Mr. Shozo Uemura and Mr. Roberto Castelo, who had done stellar work during their tenure with the Secretariat. The Delegation of Japan stressed that it took the proposal in its totality and did not in any way mean to indicate any judgment on the individuals being proposed. The proposal for both Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General referred to individual names and the proposed terms of office. However, the Committee did not have any information on what the respective responsibilities would be. This made it difficult to assess how the proposed senior management of the Secretariat would pursue the important role that they were expected to pursue in the rapidly changing environment surrounding the issues of intellectual property. The Delegation of Japan stated its view that without a clear picture as to how senior management would be collectively carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to the Secretariat, it was difficult to judge at this juncture whether the proposal as a whole would meet the interests of the Member States. The Delegation therefore requested that the Members be given more time to reflect on the proposals for the senior management so that in the meantime further clarifications could be given on the questions as to how best to compose the management structure by indicating which of the candidates would be given what portfolio so that they would be able to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow in the area of intellectual property and WIPO. With such additional information, the Delegation of Japan opined, the Committee could further consider the matter. The Delegation of Japan therefore proposed postponing the decision concerning the approval of the proposed Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General.

19. The Director General responded that he would like to focus on the question of portfolios and the Delegation of Japan’s request to have a detailed description of the portfolios of the Deputy Directors General and the Assistant Directors General proposed for approval by the Coordination Committee. The Director General stated that if this was done it would create a very serious precedent in the history of the Organization because it had never been done, and he further stated that it would not be appropriate for him, in his capacity as Chief Executive, to hand over the micro management of the Organization to the Coordination Committee. In addition, the question of portfolios was not on the agenda of the meeting. Finally, out of respect for colleagues, who would still be in office until November 30 (Mr. Shozo Uemura and Mr. Roberto Castelo would continue to be Deputy Directors General until November 30, 2003, and in a few days they would sit on the podium in order to present their programs), the Director General did not think it appropriate that portfolios of their successors be discussed during the present meeting. He added that this was not a confidential issue; once the decision of the Committee had been confirmed and a formal farewell given to the colleagues who occupy these positions, the question of portfolios would then be discussed, as was done in the past. Very precise organigrams would be established in due course and would be circulated to all delegates.

20. The Delegation of Australia thanked the Director General for the clarification that he provided and found it very useful to the discussion. The Delegation fully concurred with the views expressed by the Director General. It wished to offer its full support to the proposal that was under consideration, and thanked the Director General in particular for the proposal that set out the proposed new management team for the period ahead. The Delegation strongly supported the proposal which it believed put together the right group of people to take WIPO’s work forward in the coming years. It welcomed the inclusion of Mr. Francis Gurry as part of the proposed management team and believed that Mr. Gurry would be able to play an enhanced vital role in WIPO’s work in his new position. His outstanding record of achievement in WIPO over many years needed no further elaboration. The Delegation also looked forward to reaching agreement on the proposals at the meeting. All delegations had had the proposals before them since July 2003, and it was generally understood that it commanded strong support across the membership as had been heard from a number of delegations. There was no reason to delay its approval by the Coordination Committee. Finally, the Delegation thanked the outgoing Deputy Directors General for their hard work and commitment to the work of WIPO.

21. The Delegation of Egypt expressed its support for the statement made by the Delegation of Zambia, on behalf of the African Group. The Delegation stated that it had every confidence in the Director General’s choice for the members of the senior management team and also congratulated him on the choice of those personalities in conformity with the rules of the Organization. The Delegation wished every success to the new team whose mandates had been renewed in their present posts and those who had been nominated for new posts, and called upon them to show the devotion which had already been seen in the service of WIPO’s mission. The Delegation congratulated the new members of the senior management team, and wished them every success in their new posts, having no doubt that they would fulfill them with great ability in view of their record of service to the Organization. The Delegation stated that it was very happy that a new member of the senior management team was coming from Africa. The African member, Mr. Suedi, had a lot of experience in the Organization and the Delegation of Egypt wished him every success in his new post. The Delegation expressed its gratitude to Mr. Castelo and Mr. Uemura for their devotion and thanked them for their work. It wished to make particular mention of Mr. Castelo with whom it had worked as Deputy Director General for Cooperation for Development. Finally, the Delegation of Egypt reiterated its full trust in the Director General, the team with whom he was going to be working and again wished WIPO even more success in facing new challenges. As far as that Delegation was concerned, one of the big challenges was to promote the development dimension in order to enable intellectual property make a real contribution to economic and social development and the achievement of progress and prosperity for all people.

22. The Delegation of Madagascar fully endorsed the statement made by the Ambassador of Zambia on behalf of the African Group and supported the proposal of the Director General contained in document WO/CC/50/2. The experience of the people involved and their professionalism could not be cast into doubt and it was particularly happy to see the nomination of Mr. Khamis Suedi. The place he had held together with the Director General had enabled him to act effectively and discreetly in the political orientation of the Organization. Finally the Delegation paid tribute to the two outgoing Deputy Directors General. It stated that Mr. Castelo with whom the Delegation had always had the best of relations had never spared any effort during his mandate in WIPO in defending the cause of developing countries. The Delegation wished every success to the new team and was of the opinion that approval of their nomination should not be delayed.

23. The Delegation of Nepal wished to associate itself with the previous speakers in extending its full support for the proposal made by the Director General. It further stated that it was confident that under the able and dynamic leadership of the Director General, assisted by his new team, the Organization would gain further strength and consolidate itself in the days ahead. The Delegation particularly wished to record its appreciation for the nomination of highly capable individuals in the new team which included among others Mr. Geoffrey Yu, from Singapore and Mr. Narendra Sabharwal from India, two individuals from the Asian region. There was no doubt that an important Organization like WIPO which was entrusted with the responsibility of promoting the work in an important field of far reaching implications to all should continue to involve itself in tune with new challenges. The Delegation was heartened by the emphasis the Director General, Dr. Kamil Idris had consistently placed on intellectual property as the driving force of the present knowledge economy and as a tool for social and economic development. It believed that there would continue to be focused efforts towards achieving those incentives in the days to come. The Delegation hoped that the new team would further contribute to maximizing the capacity of the developing countries to effectively reap the benefits generated by the increase in intellectual creativity in recent times. It appreciated what was being done in terms of capacity building in the developing countries, but wished to see further commitment to enhance and consolidate development cooperation within the Organization in the areas that were of crucial importance to the developing countries and more specifically to the least developed countries through consolidation of technical assistance. The Delegation of Nepal expressed its best wishes for the departing members of the team and all success to the new team.

24. The Delegation of the Russian Federation fully supported the proposal made by the Director General in appointing the Deputies and Assistants for the relevant period. On the one hand, it had every trust in the choice of these candidates, as the Director General had not yet given it any cause to doubt the correctness of his choices. On the other hand, it stated that the candidates who had been put forward for confirmation by the Committee were well-known to the Organization and had been for a long time. They had proven themselves very competent specialists and good leaders and this was extremely important for filling the important posts for which they had been nominated. The Delegation of the Russian Federation was in favor of the approval of the list of candidates for Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General and saw no reason to postpone it. The Delegation particularly wanted to express its support for and satisfaction with the appointment of Mr. Valentine Oushakov, a national of the Russian Federation for the post at Grade D.1. His great experience nationally and internationally in intellectual property would strengthen the Secretariat and improve the participation of the Russian Federation in the Organization and would encourage the promotion of cooperation with the Organization and the countries of its region as a whole. It also confirmed its hope that the Russian Federation would in the future improve the level of its participation in the highest management of the Organization and expressed its gratitude to Mr. Roberto Castelo and Mr. Shozo Uemura for their important contributions to the development of the Organization and wished them every success in their future activities. The Delegation further stated its hope that the great experience of Mr. Castelo and Mr. Uemura would in the future be used for the good of the Organization.

25. The Delegation of Singapore, speaking on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) namely, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam, fully associated itself with the statement delivered by the Delegation of the Philippines, on behalf of the Asian Group. The ASEAN countries were pleased to endorse the candidates for the appointment of Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General. The candidates were all highly qualified, competent and experienced individuals who would make significant contributions to WIPO’s work. The ASEAN States were pleased that the slate of candidates reflected a geographical balance, and they were happy to see Mr. Geoffrey Yu, a candidate from the region, slated for the appointment of Deputy Director General, and wished to congratulate Mr. Geoffrey Yu as well as Mr. Narendra Sabharwal for their well-deserved nominations. The members of ASEAN attach a lot of importance to WIPO and its work, particularly the role played by intellectual property rights in inspiring creativity, innovation, investment, and as a means to achieving economic development. Dr. Kamil Idris’ role had been critical in developing WIPO into an international leader in the field of intellectual property and in positioning developmental concerns at the heart of WIPO’s programs and activities. It was confident that Dr. Idris, with the assistance of his new team for Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General, would continue to break new ground in the international IP agenda and consolidate WIPO’s position as a blue chip organization. The ASEAN countries looked forward to even closer collaboration and engagement with WIPO, Dr. Idris and his new management team.

26. The Delegation of Indonesia expressed its confidence in Dr. Kamil Idris to lead WIPO and in the wisdom he had shown in selecting the members of his new management team. The Delegation also commended the efforts the Director General had made to commit himself fully to the aspirations of WIPO Member States, in particular to the demand that WIPO officers be appointed based on the principle of equitable geographical distribution. The Delegation also wished to associate itself with the statements made by the Delegation of the Philippines, speaking on behalf of the Asian Group, and the Delegation of Singapore on behalf of ASEAN. Like many other countries in the Asian region, the Government of Indonesia had taken note of the excellent work carried out by both Mr. Yu and by Mr. Sabharwal. The Delegation was also grateful to Mr. Yu and Mr. Sabharwal for their invaluable advice on how to establish a national policy on intellectual property which could be incorporated into its national laws in order to meet both the needs of its society and Indonesia’s obligations under the TRIPS Agreement. The Delegation of Indonesia further elaborated that under the leadership of Dr. Kamil Idris, WIPO had made the member States of ASEAN more aware of the importance of intellectual property’s role in boosting the economic development of the region. This was illustrated by the cooperation programs that had been agreed through the WIPO-ASEAN Consultation Meeting. The Delegation hoped that the consultation process between the member States of ASEAN and Dr. Kamil Idris’ new team would continue to be profitable in the future, and it concluded by once again supporting the Director General’s choice of candidates and by expressing its congratulations to all the officers on their appointments.

27. The Delegation of Sri Lanka wished to associate itself with the statement made, on behalf of the Asian Group, by the Delegation of the Philippines. The Delegation also wished to endorse the nominations made by the Director General regarding the appointment of Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General. The Delegation believed that the Director General had proposed the nominations taking into account all relevant factors and views in the best interest of the Organization and overall wish of its membership. The Delegation was confident that the proposed Deputy Directors General would be competent Deputies to assist the Director General in leading the Organization. It also wished to extend its best wishes to them, as well as to other proposed appointees. It assured all the appointees its fullest cooperation in carrying out their respective responsibilities.

28. The Delegation of Hungary underlined its view that the appointments would bring to perfection in every respect the work of WIPO. The Delegation was pleased to assure WIPO of its support for the designated appointees who had all contributed to a great extent to the outstanding achievements of WIPO. The Delegation was convinced that they would continue the work of paramount importance in their new positions with the same efficiency. The Delegation supported those who had expressed their appreciation of the work of Mr. Roberto Castelo and Mr. Shozo Uemura, who had excellent relations with the Hungarian Patent Office as well. It wished them every success for their future work. The Delegation of Hungary was convinced of the aptitude and professional knowledge of Mr. Geoffrey Yu and Mr. Francis Gurry. Their work as Assistant Directors General was extremely important for the Republic of Hungary; it singled out the thoughts of Mr. Geoffrey Yu on the strengthening of copyright and related rights and the achievements of Mr. Francis Gurry regarding the effective management of the domain name dispute resolution system as examples. The Delegation of Hungary also supported the appointments of Mr. Ernesto Rubio and Mr. Khamis Suedi, both gentlemen had already proven that they were adequate persons to fill the posts of Assistant Directors General. It was its greatest pleasure that under the direction of Director General Dr. Kamil Idris, Mrs. Rita Hayes and Mr. Philippe Petit would provide the continuity in the leadership of WIPO. The Delegation of Hungary also agreed with the appointment of Mr. Valentine Oushakov, Consultant for the Division for Cooperation with Certain Countries in Europe and Asia. Furthermore, the Delegation stated that it was convinced that it would receive more detailed information in respect of portfolios at the Assemblies of the Member States, long before November 30, 2003.

29. The Delegation of Barbados stated that it fully endorsed the statement made by Costa Rica on behalf of GRULAC, in particular the words of thanks and appreciation extended to Mr. Roberto Castelo. It added its Delegation’s individual and personal support to the Director General’s proposed new team. Mr. Rubio was well-known to the Delegation as a former Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Bureau for Cooperation for Development. The Delegation also had the honor and pleasure to work closely with Mr. Gurry and Mr. Suedi while acting as Coordinator for GRULAC. Through these experiences, the Delegation had been able to witness first hand the outstanding work and abilities of these individuals and in this regard wished to reiterate its continued support and cooperation with this new team and looked forward to strengthening the existing positive relationship in the future. The Delegation concluded by reiterating once again its full support and confidence in the Director General and the exercise of his discretion.

30. The Delegation of Myanmar wished to associate itself with the statement made by the Delegation of the Philippines on behalf of the Asian Group and the statement delivered by the Delegation of Singapore, on behalf of ASEAN Member States on the appointments of the Assistant Directors General and Deputy Directors General. The Delegation extended its warmest congratulations to Mr. Geoffrey Yu, Mr. Narendra Sabharwal and Mr. Francis Gurry for their nominations as Deputy Directors General, and Mrs. Rita Hayes and Mr. Philippe Petit for extension of their tenures as Deputy Directors General of WIPO. The Delegation also congratulated Mr. Ernesto Rubio and Mr. Khamis Suedi for their well-deserved nominations to the posts of Assistant Director General of WIPO. The Delegation pledged its full cooperation and support for the future endeavors and activities of WIPO and wished the new team every success in the future.

31. The Delegation of France expressed its support for the Director General’s proposals and was particularly satisfied and grateful to the Director General for his proposal to renew the terms of Office of two Deputy Directors General, including the Delegation’s compatriot Mr. Philippe Petit. The Delegation congratulated Mr. Philippe Petit and Mrs. Rita Hayes on their work carried out with great efficiency and was sure that their commitment would be very important for the Organization and intellectual property in general. It also endorsed the proposals to promote other high officials of the Organization from Assistant Director General to Deputy Director General. It stated that it appreciated the qualities of the persons chosen by the Director General to form his new team; Mr. Francis Gurry, Mr. Geoffrey Yu, Mr. Narendra Sabharwal, Mr. Ernesto Rubio and Mr. Khamis Suedi were particularly well qualified to take on the jobs that the Director General had chosen for them. The Delegation thanked the Director General and was grateful to him for having rewarded the efforts of those officials while respecting geographical distribution and was convinced that thanks to those proposals the Organization would continue its work with success. The Delegation expressed its gratitude and thanked the outgoing officers Mr. Uemura and Mr. Castelo who had never spared their efforts to help the Organization and its Member States.

32. The Delegation of Honduras supported the statement made by the Delegation of Costa Rica on behalf of GRULAC, and was confident that the names put forward by the Director General were for the benefit of both the Organization and the Member States. The cooperation that had been received from WIPO was extremely valuable and most of the requests for technical cooperation were effectively carried out. The Delegation observed that WIPO had many officials willing to assist developing countries such as Honduras. The Delegation of Honduras expressed the hope that the Director General would give serious consideration in the future to appointing professionals from the Central American region to high-ranking posts as well as to posts at the professional level.

33. The Delegation of Germany attached particular importance to the protection of intellectual property and had been “strongly committed to the ideals and goals of WIPO ever since the Organization was established,” a fact referred to in correspondence between the German Federal Minister of Justice and the Director General, and showed that the Minister herself was very interested in WIPO affairs and had personally looked carefully at the proposals in the document under discussion and had instructed the Delegation to express its endorsement of the proposals and to lend the full support of the country and its Delegation to the proposals for the top positions of the International Bureau. The excellence of that team was instrumental and crucial for the work of the Organization and thus for everyone. On a personal note, the Delegation knew Mrs. Rita Hayes and Mr. Philippe Petit, as a result of the Delegation’s frequent visits to WIPO. The Delegation knew the other appointees also as former colleagues, namely Francis Gurry, Geoffrey Yu, Ernesto Rubio, Khamis Suedi as well as Mr. Sabharwal and the outgoing Deputy Directors General, Shozo Uemura and Roberto Castelo. So the Delegation lent its full support to the proposals and expressed the hope that the Committee would approve the proposals. It also stated that as the Federal Minister of Justice had made her decision it would also not like to see any delay, nor did it see any necessity for such a delay. The Delegation of Germany concluded by expressing its warm thanks to the outgoing Deputy Directors General, Shozo Uemura and Roberto Castelo for the excellent work which they had done and wished them all the best for their future.

34. The Delegation of Algeria associated itself with the statement by the Delegation of Zambia on behalf of the African Group, and supported fully the proposal by the Director General. In the Delegation’s view, those proposals respected the principles of regional balance and effective management. The Delegation was particularly pleased to see the nomination of Mr. Khamis Suedi to the post of Assistant Director General and wished the new team every success in implementing the Director General’s program and expressed its full support in view of their professional qualities and their devotion. The Delegation thanked the two outgoing Deputy Directors General, Mr. Castelo in particular, and added that the Delegation saw no interest in postponing a decision on those appointments in view of the clear explanations given by the Director General.

35. Several delegations, in particular those of Zambia, India and Uruguay, appealed to the Delegation of Japan to consider withdrawing its proposal to postpone consideration of the Director General’s proposals and join the emerging consensus which could only help contribute to the strengthening of WIPO.

36. The Delegation of Sweden stated that it wholeheartedly supported the proposal by the Director General for the nominations of Deputy and Assistant Directors General. The proposals reflected appropriate geographical balance and persons who were eminently suited for their jobs. The Delegation also wished to express its great appreciation for the two outgoing Deputy Directors General, Mr. Uemura and Mr. Castelo. It appreciated their great capabilities and their commitment in their respective sectors and in particular the excellent cooperation it had with Mr. Castelo in the implementation of the development cooperation program between WIPO and the Government of Sweden and it wished the outgoing Deputy Directors General all the best for the future. On a more personal note, the Delegation noted that all the persons being appointed were all old acquaintances and friends. The Delegation recalled earlier collaboration and cooperation, in various capacities, with Mr. Yu and Mr. Sabharwal, as well as with Mr. Gurry, Mrs. Hayes, and Messrs. Petit, Rubio and Suedi. Finally, the Delegation supported the appointment of Mr. Oushakov to a post at Grade D.1.

37. The Delegation of Uruguay stated that it fully supported the statement of the Delegation of Costa Rica on behalf of GRULAC. It added that Uruguay was very pleased to see that a compatriot, Mr. Ernesto Rubio had been taken onto the team by the Director General, in recognition of his personal professional qualities. Speaking to the proposal by the Delegation of Japan, the Delegation of Uruguay agreed with certain points and disagreed with other aspects. The Delegation shared the interest in knowing the functions that high officials of the Organization carried out and how those tasks were distributed since they had dealings with many States. This was the legitimate right of any Member State of the Organization. The Delegation however disagreed that the matter should be discussed at the Coordination Committee, and still less that it should postpone a decision that was the responsibility of the Committee to take. The Director General had explained that in fact the portfolios were fully transparent and that it was part of his responsibility as Director General to ensure that they would be circulated to all. The Delegation of Uruguay was satisfied with that explanation because it was interested in knowing those functions in due course. The Delegation concluded that a very short time ago Dr. Idris was re-elected with unanimous support of all the Member States of WIPO who offered him their cooperation in carrying out his duties. This was the first time after his re-election that Dr. Idris had submitted a proposal to Member States, a proposal that was precisely aimed at carrying out his duties in the second term of office as efficiently as possible. It was therefore the responsibility of the Member States to offer this cooperation and support his proposal without delay.

38. The Delegation of the United States of America stated that it was sympathetic to the request from a very important user and generator of intellectual property, for more time to consider the issue. It would certainly have preferred to have unanimous endorsement of the Director General’s slate of impressive senior officers. A short delay during which members of the Committee could communicate to their capitals the thrust of the interventions and endorsements that they had heard and during which they could discuss the issue informally may be just what was needed to achieve the unanimity that was desired. In the view of the Delegation, a short delay was a very small price to pay to achieve the goal of unanimity on the slate of candidates before the Committee.

39. The Delegation of Colombia endorsed the statement made by the Delegation of Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries. The Delegation expressed its full confidence in the proposal made by the Director General and in the fact that the selected team would make an important contribution to the consolidation of a worldwide culture of intellectual property and to the cooperation with developing countries. The Delegation expressed particular satisfaction with the nomination of Mr. Ernesto Rubio.

40. The Delegation of Jamaica thanked the Director General for his proposal on the senior management team which he himself recognized as critical to carry out the functions of the Organization. The Delegation expressed its confidence in the judgement of the Director General in the selection of Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General and wished them full success. The Delegation made special emphasis on the close cooperation Mr. Rubio had established with Jamaica while he was Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Bureau and expressed its gratitude for the support given to their NFAP and to their intellectual property office. The Delegation was also grateful to Mr. Suedi for the support received from him. The Delegation expressed its thanks to Mr. Castelo and Mr. Uemura for their valuable contributions to the work of the Organization. It particularly stressed and thanked Mr. Castelo for his commitment to the Caribbean sub-region.

41. The Delegation of Bangladesh wished to associate itself with the statement made by the Delegation of the Philippines, speaking on behalf of the Asian Group. The Delegation endorsed the proposed appointments made by the Director General in the confidence that they would help carry forward the work of the Organization. The Delegation expressed particular satisfaction to see two Asian nationals in the list of the proposed Deputy Directors General. The Delegation expressed the wish to fully cooperate with the Secretariat as well as with the new appointees and it concluded by expressing its deep gratitude to the outgoing officials for their outstanding services to WIPO.

42. The Delegation of Austria expressed its full support for the proposed appointments of the senior management team selected by the Director General to assist him, in the years to come, to fulfill the vision of the Organization. The Delegation also expressed its appreciation for the contributions made by the outgoing Deputy Directors General, Mr. Roberto Castelo and Mr. Shozo Uemura. It concluded by expressing its willingness to cooperate with the Director General and his new team in achieving the ambitious goals of the Organization.

43. The Delegation of Italy fully supported the proposal made by the Director General concerning the appointments of Deputy Directors General and Assistant Directors General, and expressed its trust that this new team would bring renewed energies and new ideas to accomplish the important tasks ahead of WIPO. The Delegation also paid tribute to the outgoing Deputy Directors General, Mr. Roberto Castelo and Mr. Shozo Uemura, for their excellent work while serving at WIPO, and wished them all success for the future. The Delegation expressed confidence that the Director General would communicate in due course the information regarding portfolios of the appointees.

44. The Delegation of Brazil endorsed the statement made by the Delegation of Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries. The Delegation expressed the wish to pay tribute and issue a word of special thanks to one person in particular, namely Mr. Roberto Castelo who had occupied the post of Deputy Director General since 1998 and would be vacating it next November. Mr. Castelo being a national of Brazil, the Delegation expressed its sincere appreciation for the excellent job he had done in WIPO. The Delegation was both thankful and proud for what Mr. Castelo had accomplished during his term in office in WIPO and believed that, as the person in charge of the Cooperation for Development Sector, he had shown an unwavering commitment to the special needs, interests and concerns of developing countries in general. The Delegation concluded by wishing Mr. Castelo the best of luck in his new professional responsibilities.

45. The Delegation of Argentina fully endorsed the statement made by Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries. It expressed gratitude for the work achieved by Mr. Castelo and Mr. Uemura, not only because of their high professional qualifications but also because of their openness and readiness to communicate. The Delegation made special emphasis on its support to the appointment of Mr. Ernesto Rubio, as Assistant Director General. The Delegation was of the opinion that any postponement of the proposed appointments would upset the delicate balance of the proposal as it stands.

46. The Delegation of Cuba endorsed the statement made by the Delegation of Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries. It expressed its thanks to the Director General and his team for the work achieved until now and expressed its support for the proposed nominations. The Delegation paid particular tribute to the work done by Mr. Roberto Castelo and his commitment to the Latin American and Caribbean Region and to cooperation for development in general. It expressed its support to Mr. Rubio and its satisfaction with his nomination, as Mr. Rubio is a well-known person in Latin America in general and in Cuba in particular.

47. The Delegation of Egypt recalled that the Director General had not only been re-elected unanimously for a second term but also that the Member States had decided to accelerate his election in order to enable him to take all the necessary steps to fully implement his tasks as part of his second mandate. The postponement of the appointments of senior management officials would be in contradiction with the spirit of the decision taken by the Member States. With regard to the porfolios of senior managers, the Delegation stressed that this question was part of the discretion and prerogatives of the Director General and not a question to be considered in the framework of the Coordination Committee.

48. The Delegation of Portugal expressed its support for the nominations proposed by the Director General. It praised the invaluable contributions to the work of the Organization, made by Mr. Philippe Petit and Mrs. Rita Hayes as Deputy Directors General and was of the opinion that the renewal of their appointments would help ensure stability, continuity and excellence. The Delegation welcomed the Director General’s proposal to appoint Mr. Geoffrey Yu and Mr. Francis Gurry as Deputy Directors General, noting that their experience in the Organization would be particularly useful. The Delegation expressed the same support and optimism with the proposed appointments of Mr. Ernesto Rubio and Mr. Khamis Suedi to the posts of Assistant Directors General. It expressed the view that the professionalism, expertise and experience of the nominees, in the field of intellectual property, would ensure that the Organization increased its effectiveness in its future work and projects. The Delegation recalled that all of them had made substantial contributions to WIPO, particularly in emerging areas of intellectual property, and was of the view that the proposed appointments would enable them to continue their excellent work at a higher level. The Delegation expressed the view that the efficiency of any organization depended to a large extent on its staff, its management and most importantly its leadership, and that WIPO was blessed with highly professional staff and employees. The Delegation of Portugal paid sincere tribute to the talents, skills and dedication with which Mr. Roberto Castelo and Mr. Shozo Uemura had served the Organization. It concluded by expressing its willingness to work closely with the Director General and the senior management team in ensuring that innovation and creativity are appropriately safeguarded and rewarded.

49. The Delegation of the Dominican Republic was of the view that when the Director General was re-elected, the Member States had given him a vote of confidence to designate and define the tasks to be carried out to properly defend intellectual property. Therefore, the Delegation endorsed the statement made by Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries and all the interventions made stressing the high qualities and capacities of the proposed Deputy and Assistant Directors General. The Delegation stressed the quality of the relation it had, in particular with Mr. Ernesto Rubio, who had always paid special attention to the needs and concerns of the Dominican Republic.

50. The Chair recalled that the meeting of the Coordination Committee was part of a process, and not a single event. The Member States of WIPO were fully aware of the work being undertaken by the Director General and his senior management team. The Chair observed that the Director General had effectively spoken to his proposal and had also provided the Committee with further clarifications to erase any doubts that may have persisted in the minds of certain delegations. There now seemed to be a clear consensus to approve the proposed appointments. The Chair opined that WIPO was an oasis of peace in the middle of other international organizations in Geneva. Some of the other Geneva-based organizations did not always operate in as efficient a manner as seemed to be the case with WIPO. In conclusion, he thanked the Director General for his proposal and explanations, and all the delegations for their constructive contributions and excellent cooperation which had resulted in what seemed to be a meeting of all minds.

51. The Delegation of Japan expressed its appreciation to the Chair, to the Director General and to all the delegations that had responded or reacted to its earlier statement expressing concerns about the Director General’s proposals. The Delegation explained that its statement was in no way aimed at micromanaging or impinging on the prerogative of the Director General. The Delegation of Japan concluded that, having listened to all the interventions, and heeding the Chair’s advice, it would not block consensus on approving the Director General’s proposals on condition that the Delegation’s views on the matter were duly taken note of.

52. The Director General thanked the delegations for the overwhelming support given to his proposals. He stated that the meeting was another reflection of the spirit of transparency that the WIPO Member States had initiated in the Organization. He recalled that Japan was one of the most active users of the intellectual property system, and that, in particular, Japan’s contribution through the Japanese funds in trust was highly appreciated. The Director General expressed the hope that the spirit of transparency would continue, thus respecting the integrity of Member States on the one hand, and the integrity and credibility of the Secretariat, on the other.