U.S. Seeks End to Pirating Publications in...

U.S. Seeks End to Pirating Publications in Arab States: The United States said it is negotiating agreements with Gulf Arab states to end the production and sale of pirated U.S. books, tapes and other intellectual property in the region. The issues will be a priority when Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown and a U.S. trade representative delegation meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next week with officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. U.S. industry estimates it loses about $500 million a year from copyright infringement and pirated software in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.