International Business / The Pacific

Saudi Arabia Issues Warning on Pirated Software: The kingdom has warned more than 200 private companies not to use pirated software in its latest crackdown to enforce copyright laws, industry sources said. The misuse of copyrights, trademarks and patents has become a crucial issue as Saudi Arabia has sought to join the World Trade Organization. The WTO is tentatively scheduled to meet in November and will discuss Saudi intellectual property rights enforcement and other issues. Riyadh-based attorney Charles Magee said the Information Ministry sent letters to 150 firms suspected of using illegal copies of software made by his client Autodesk Inc. Industry watchdog Business Software Alliance estimates software makers lost $100 million to counterfeiting in Saudi Arabia in 1995.