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KUWAIT CITY, Dec 7 (AFP) - Kuwaiti MPs on Tuesday passed a bill protecting intellectual property rights just days before the World Trade Organization (WTO) could have imposed sanctions on the emirate.
The National Assembly voted by 49 to one in favor of the draft law, with only Islamist Walid al-Tabtabai voting against the bill. Some 15 Members of Parliament and ministers, who also have one vote each, were not present.
The United States has repeatedly warned the oil-rich emirate in the past month that as a 1994 signatory to the WTO free trade agreement, it had to pass legislation on copyrights and intellectual property before December 31, 1999.
US ambassador to Kuwait James Larocco warned last month that both companies and countries would have had legal recourse if the law had been rejected and been able to, "Seek damages by filing cases with the WTO."
However, Larocco added that the legislation would be beneficial for Kuwait. He also predicted that the Gulf Arab state could develop into a regional communications and technology centre.
"With protection for intellectual property rights, companies will come to Kuwait offering capital, technology, marketing and jobs," he said.
Stalls of pirated videotapes, CD-ROMs, computer software and games besiege Kuwait's numerous shopping malls. All these items are selling for a fraction of the value of the originals.
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