MOSCOW, October 16 (RIA Novosti) - The Intellectual Property Rights Chapter (IP Chapter) of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is too damaging and should be stopped, WikiLeaks' Editor-in-Chief Julian Assange said Thursday.
"The lack of movement within the TPP IP Chapter shows that this only stands to harm people, and no one is satisfied," WikiLeaks cited Assange. "This clearly demonstrates that such an all-encompassing and divisive trade agreement is too damaging to be brought into force. The TPP should stop now."
The WikiLeaks website said that the IP Chapter would affect freedom of information, civil liberties and access to medication worldwide. Due to the content of the document, Assange believes the TPP is afraid of public scrutiny of the chapter.
"The selective secrecy surrounding the TPP negotiations, which has let in a few cashed-up megacorps but excluded everyone else, reveals a telling fear of public scrutiny. By publishing this text we allow the public to engage in issues that will have such a fundamental impact on their lives," he said.
The TPP is said to be negotiated in complete secrecy by 12 countries around the world, including the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. WikiLeaks believes that if the TPP comes into force, it will encompass more than 40 percent of the world's GDP.
The IP Chapter covers various topics from pharmaceuticals, patent registrations and copyright issues to digital rights.
