CONGRATULATION FROM CHAIRMAN OF THE PATENT OFFICE OF TURKMENISTAN

The five-year anniversary of the Eurasian Patent Organization is certainly an event of great significance. Someone who played an active role in its development from the very beginning truly understands the role and place of the Eurasian Convention as a legal and political document that fully meets the requirements of the 21st century. When you review your memories, you will recall hot debates and disagreements in the process of developing the foundations of this new Convention between those who would then become party to this regional organization.

It is a particular pleasure to remember the names and faces of dozens and perhaps even hundreds of experts from all CIS countries who participated in the working committees and groups. These were the experts of highest qualification with a wealth of practical experience. Their intellectual creativity resulted in this miracle of a Convention that concentrated within itself the most modern solutions of non-standard legal situations in the patent field, and very skillfully combined the interests of all of its participants.

Creation of the Eurasian Patent Convention is closely linked to the person of Dr. Arpad Bogsch, former Director General of WIPO, a great and unique organizer and a world-class professional in the area of intellectual property protection. The deserts of Dr. Arpad Bogsch must be forever remembered as an integral part of the history of the creation and development of the Eurasian Patent Convention.

On December 30, 1994, the President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov signed the Act of Accession of Turkmenistan to the Eurasian Patent Convention. My colleagues and I are proud of the fact that Turkmenistan became the first nation to join the Eurasian Patent Convention.

The five years that have passed from the beginning of the Organization's work became an important stage in the history of the foundation and development of the national Patent Office as an international entity in the area of industrial property protection, and we anticipate many years of further growth in its input into the development of the economic, scientific, and technical potential of Turkmenistan.

During the past period the organizational structure of the Office has become more streamlined and rational. It has been marked by the establishment of stable partner relations with international organizations and patent offices of other countries, compilation of a sizable database of patent information, entry to the Internet, beginning of automation and computerization of the internal processes, and organization of a system of continuous professional and language training for the Office employees.

The adoption of the Turkmenistan Civil Code contributed to the increased role of the national patent system in the task of legal protection of intellectual property, by providing reliable legal guarantees of protection for both domestic and foreign applicants for inventions, trademarks, industrial designs, and utility models.

We vest our hopes in the Eurasian Patent Organization. We believe it to be a modern international Organization of the 21st century capable of constant self-improvement. We are convinced that further development and prosperity of the European Patent Organization will in turn encourage improvement of the Turkmenistan national patent system by introducing new information technologies and systems and by upgrading them regularly, by raising the professional level of the national staff through education, on-the-job training, and work in the Eurasian Office, by further improving the national legislation in the area of industrial property protection, and by rendering technical or methodical aid.

I wish you success and prosperity in the 21st century, the Eurasian Patent Organization!

R.A. Agabaev,

Chairman of the Patent Office of Turkmenistan