MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US and Uruguay sign technology cooperation accord

Foreign Minister of Uruguay G. Fernandez and Secretary of State C. Rice<br>Photo: USA Embassy

United States and Uruguay signed on Tuesday a bilateral agreement to promote and increase cooperation in Science and Technology. The agreement was signed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Uruguay's Foreign Affairs minister Gonzalo Fernandez during a ceremony at the State Department.

The new agreement provides a mechanism through which the United States and Uruguay can broaden cooperation in all scientific and technology fields, and move forward in areas of collaboration such as energy, health issues, science and technology education, engineering, sustainable development, agriculture, and natural resources. It will support government-to-government exchanges and scientific partnerships between private, academic, and non-governmental entities. The Agreement establishes a framework to facilitate exchange of scientific results and provides protection for intellectual property rights. This is the fifth such bilateral cooperation agreement signed between the United States and a Latin American partner, after Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico. The agreement prioritizes the study of biodiversity through the collection, conservation, and exchange of biological and genetic resources in cooperative projects, which are often the key to advancing agricultural science and medicine, and understanding the impact of climate change on the environment.