Washington - The Bush administration on Monday announced its latest list of countries placed on a "priority watch list" for piracy by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, giving special attention given once again to China and Russia.

Despite noting "some evidence of improvement" in those countries, the report highlights China and Russia as piracy havens.

The U.S. has said Russia's attention or lack thereof to protection of intellectual property could affect its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO); the U.S. also recently filed two piracy-related complaints against China at the WTO.

"Innovation is the lifeblood of a dynamic economy here in the United States, and around the world," said U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab. "We must defend ideas, inventions and creativity from rip off artists and thieves."

The ten other nations placed on the priority watch list were Argentina, Chile, Egypt, India, Israel, Lebanon, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Venezuela.

Noting improvements in other countries, the USTR said it moved Brazil from its "priority watch list" to a lesser "watch list," while the Bahamas, Bulgaria, Croatia, the EU and Latvia have been removed from its lists altogether.

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2wtf5p (USTR announcement)

http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8OR0KMG1.html (AP)