GUARANTEE ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICINES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2002 (VIS) - Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, permanent observer to the World Trade Organization (WTO), spoke on December 20 in a meeting of the WTO dedicated to Aspects of the Rights of Intellectual Property related to Trade (TRIPS).

The archbishop recalled that when the 'Doha Declaration' on TRIPS and public health was approved, it "was considered a significant breakthrough in attempting to reconcile two important values for our world community: permitting governments to respond rapidly to urgent public health needs of their people ... assuring access to essential medicines at affordable prices and respecting the creativity and innovative possibilities offered by a rules-based international system for the protection of intellectual property."

"It was hoped," continued the prelate, "above all that it would constitute a victory for the poorest and those most vulnerable to health risks and suffering, especially in Africa."

After emphasizing this hope the archbishop expressed, however, the Holy See's concern that it has not been possible "to arrive, within the deadline set, at a consensus application of the Declaration for those countries that do not have the domestic capacity to produce their own medicines."

Archbishop Martin recalled John Paul II's words in his Message for the World Day of Peace 2003: "Promises made to the poor should be particularly binding" and "the failure to keep commitments in the sphere of aid to developing nations is a serious moral question."

"The protection of private property," he continued, "including intellectual property, is an important value, which we must respect. ... The very creative and innovative impetus which the intellectual property rights system offers - especially in the health sector -is there primarily to serve the common good of the human community."

The permanent observer concluded by stressing that "a positive decision on this question would have been an important sign from the World Trade Organization especially in the Christmas season. My delegation hopes that a sense of common responsibility will urge us all to ensure that what has been achieved in these days not to be lost, and that we can arrive at a positive decision for the good of our human family as early as possible."

DELSS;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY;...;MARTIN;VIS;20021223;Word: 360;