KEI’s James Love ended up on an airplane with USTR Ron Kirk, and was able to ask him some questions about ACTA secrecy. Kirk’s response was that the document would be revealed after it was finished — i.e., after those who it will impact most could have a say in the matter. He also claimed that some of those in the negotiations would “walk away from the table” if the documents were made public. It’s difficult to see how that makes any sense — but if it’s true, is that a bad thing? Do you really want to be negotiating a big treaty like this one if some of the countries are afraid to stand behind the document to the public they’re supposed to represent? I think the fact that some countries would walk away from the negotiations if they were made public pretty much explains why this process is so broken in the first place.
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