Argentine President Rejects US Patent Call

Argentine President Carlos Menem has refused to modify his country's lawon drug patents, as requested by members of a US Congressional delegation visiting Buenos Aires, reports the Xinhua news agency.

At a meeting last week, President Menem told them that Argentine laws are up to international standards, according to Jorge Campbell, Argentina's Secretary for International Economic Relations. He noted that while the legislators had accepted Argentina's efforts to protect intellectual property rights, "it was obvious that, for them, our law is inferior" to that of the World Trade Organization. The legislation will be "a permanent issue" for discussion on the agenda of both countries, Mr Campbell added.