The Minister for Science and Technology Nguyen Quan is currently attending the meeting of the UN’s Commission on Science and Technology for Development, from May 21-25 in Geneva .

During a ministerial session, Minister Quan said that a number of important scientific and technological achievements have made a considerable difference to Vietnam ’s economic development.

Vietnam will work with countries around the world to increase its knowledge of scientific and technological developments as well as coping with climate changes in the future, said the minister.

On May 22, Minister Quan met with the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Francis Gurry.

He asked the WIPO leader to assist Vietnam in devising and deploying a national intellectual property programme as part of the country’s science and technology development strategy for the period 2011 to 2020. Quan also said the country needs help to develop at least three agricultural trademarks, an intellectual property development centre in Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park and more advanced training programmes.

Gurry voiced his support for Vietnam ’s national intellectual property strategy, to make intellectual property an effective tool for scientific and technological, socio-economic and cultural development.

He said the WIPO will help Vietnam to develop trademarks for three businesses and also to set up an intellectual property development centre in the Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park.

Talking on the subject to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Geneva, Minister Quan said that the WIPO has actively helped Vietnam in the intellectual property field by devising and fine tuning laws and policies. It has also provided assistance in modernising and raising the capacity of intellectual property management system, training personnel and increasing public awareness on the issue.-VNA