Time To Release Full TPP Text: Kelsey - 3news.co.nz

[WillyT]

Time to release full TPP text - Kelsey
Dan Satherley 3 News Online Reporter
Friday 15 Nov 2013 9:18a.m

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Auckland University law professor Jane Kelsey says New Zealand's negotiators in the Trans-Pacific Partnership discussions appear to be fighting the good fight, but this might prevent the deal being signed altogether.

Leaked yesterday, the intellectual property chapter of the controversial trade deal shows New Zealand – and most of the other countries involved – clashing with the US on around three-quarters of its contents.

Prof Kelsey says it's reassuring to see New Zealand sticking up for itself, but fears how much longer they can hold out. "Our intellectual property negotiators we know have been very staunch," she said on Firstline this morning.

"The problem is – as we've always said and the leak proves – that the US is using this agreement to drive through new rules to benefit its companies, irrespective of the cost for other countries. Now, other countries are kicking back, but if they're going to pull a deal off, it's going to have to be a deal that [US President Barack] Obama can sell to the US Congress, and they've made it very clear that what they consider gold standard intellectual property rights – among other rules – are preconditions for any approval."

Democrats in the US have rejected Mr Obama's proposed fast-track process, which would have limited debate on the TPP in Congress. This will likely push any signing of the deal well beyond his – and Prime Minister John Key's – Christmas target. But Prof Kelsey says this could ironically strengthen Mr Obama's hand, in that it "gives him even more leverage to say to the other countries, 'You want a deal? You give us what we want.'"

Negotiations continue in Salt Lake City next week, and Prof Kelsey will be there. She says the leak further strengthens the case for releasing the full text of the TPP as it stands.

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Link: http://www.3news.co.nz/Time-to-release-full-TPP-text---Kelsey/tabid/1607/articleID/321453/Default.aspx#.UoVe9nBjuSo

[villager]

1. "the US is using this agreement to drive through new rules to benefit its companies irrespective of

...the cost for other countries."

Ah, good ol' hope n' change.