41.   Taiwan has been under pressure from Washington to improve intellectual property right protection.

42.   Thais appear to have insufficient knowledge about the importance of intellectual property right protection.

43.   The agreements signed Thursday included deals on oil supplies to China, building oil and gas pipelines, intellectual property protection, and four cooperation agreements between separate regions.

44.   The European Commission asked senior officials of seven Asian countries in December to try to prepare a framework agreement on intellectual property protection in time for the Bangkok meeting.

45.   The negotiations are an attempt to avert a trade war between the countries over enforcement of intellectual property rights protection.

46.   The MFN trade status agreement includes a chapter on intellectual property protection.

47.   The officials also raised concern about Chinese intellectual property protections and other trade issues, the statement issued by the U.S. Embassy said, without giving any details.

48.   The United States and the European Union have closely monitored intellectual property protection in Thailand.

49.   The United States removed Thailand in November from its priority watch list of countries under pressure to improve intellectual property protection.

50.   These include intellectual property right protection and establishment of certain customs procedures and safeguards, the officials said.