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US calls for head of WIPO to answer allegations or resign
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The United States has called for the head of the WIPO to publicly answer allegations of dishonest conduct or to see him resign.The WIPO Secretariat rejected charges by diplomats regarding an official report produced, that Mr Idris misled the agency about his age. The allegation is that Mr Idris signed and confirmed his year of birth on several occasions to be 1945, whereas he was born in 1954.
Diplomats say the report questions whether Mr Idris could claim the 10 years of senior experience normally needed for the level of the post he took up when joining WIPO in 1982.
The call to answer the allegations was given in Geneva by US ambassador to the UN European Headquarters, Warren Tichenor. His most blunt remarks to date were aimed directly at the WIPO Direct General Kamil Idris, "To the Director-General we say: clearly and convincingly answer the allegations against you in open forum in this General Assembly before member states, or heed those calling for new leadership at WIPO,"
Mr Idris did not hear the remarks, but WIPO officials said afterwards that the accusations were groundless.
While Mr. Tichenor has said that the report suggested it helped Mr Idris to get positions and benefits to which he was not entitled, officials say he did not profit from the mistake.
