The EU has asked the US Administration to work with it in an initiative to get anti-AIDS drugs to the developing world at prices it can afford, Patrick Smyth reports.
Speaking in Washington on Tuesday following a first EU Troika visit to the new Administration, the Commissioner for External Relations, Mr Chris Patten, welcomed the initial enthusiasm of the Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, but said there were very real problems for the pharmaceutical industry which would need to be addressed.
But Mr Patten would not be drawn on what ideas the EU has for ensuring that drugs supplied very cheaply in developing countries do not simply reappear at a huge markup in the First World, understood to be a central concern of the industry. Mr Patten said the issue would be one for the EU-US summit in Stockholm in June.
Also part of the Troika were the Swedish Foreign Minister, Ms Anna Lindh, and the EU Foreign and Security Policy supremo, Mr Javier Solana. The talks were seen by diplomats mainly as a first testing of the waters with the new US Secretary of State.