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<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT =
face=Tahoma
size=2><BR></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P align=center class=body
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=4><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Press
Release<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P align=center class=body
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=4><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P align=center class=body
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><st1:place><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=4><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Cancun</SPAN></FONT></B></st1:place><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=4><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">
Forum on Communication Rights vs. 'Free Trade'</SPAN></FONT></B><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">
</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><![if =
!supportLineBreakNewLine]><BR
style="mso-special-character: =
line-break"><![endif]><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P align=center class=body
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-STYLE: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal">Tuesday,
September 9th<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></I></P>
<P align=center class=body
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-STYLE: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal">In
the Ex <SPAN =
class=SpellE>Palenque</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></I></P>
<P align=center class=body
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><st1:time
Hour="10" Minute="0"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal"><FONT color=black
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-STYLE: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal">10:00am
- 12:00pm</SPAN></FONT></I></st1:time><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-STYLE: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></I></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Press
conference</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">:
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Monday,
September 8<SUP>th</SUP>, </SPAN></FONT><st1:time Hour="9" =
Minute="0"><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">9am</SPAN></FONT></st1:time><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">,
</SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Coco</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">
4<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Contacts:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">
<BR>International: </SPAN></FONT><st1:PersonName><FONT color=black =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Sasha
Costanza-Chock</SPAN></FONT></st1:PersonName><FONT color=black =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">:
<A href="mailto:schock@asc.upenn.edu">schock@asc.upenn.edu</A> - =
(011) 52
998.890.4768<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><st1:country-region><st1:place><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Mexico</SPAN></FONT></st1:place></st1:country-region><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">:
<A href="mailto:isaurapool@hotmail.com">isaurapool@hotmail.com</A> - =
998.887.8167<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><SUP><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></SUP></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">This
September at the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in
</SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Cancun</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">,
the US Trade Representative has proposed to expand the <SPAN
class=SpellE>WTO's</SPAN> power over media and culture. The
</SPAN></FONT><st1:country-region><st1:place><FONT color=black =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">US</SPAN></FONT></st1:place></st1:country-region><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">
wants to submit Communications and Audiovisual Services, including =
film,
radio, television, video, and music production, as well as media =
distribution
services such as satellite, cable and broadcast, to the <SPAN
class=SpellE>WTO's</SPAN> General Agreement on Trade in Services
(GATS).<BR><BR>This would spell disaster for vibrant media systems =
worldwide:
public funding for media, including mass, alternative, community, and
citizens' media, could be attacked as "barriers to trade." Media =
ownership
limits, as well as laws and initiatives that encourage diverse, =
locally-owned
media, could be considered outright trade violations. Public funding =
for
cultural and artistic production could also come under =
attack.<BR><BR>On
September 9<SUP>th</SUP>, representatives from the Movements assembled =
in
</SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Cancun</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">
will meet to denounce the idea of surrendering media and culture to =
the WTO or
any other 'free trade' agreement, and to strategize on how to build =
the
international movement for Communication Rights.<BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><![if =
!supportLineBreakNewLine]><BR
style="mso-special-character: =
line-break"><![endif]><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Members
of the press are encouraged to attend a press conference the morning =
of Monday
the 8<SUP>th</SUP>, to attend this event, and to arrange interviews =
with
representatives of the Communication Rights movement during the WTO
Ministerial.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Background<BR></SPAN></FONT></B><FONT
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">In
</SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Cancun</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">,
trade ministers from 146 countries will continue negotiations on the =
General
Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). Critics argue that this =
agreement is
used to override the democratic process, weaken national laws, and =
undermine
public interest regulations around the world through trade mechanisms =
that
favor the privatization of every sector of life and the sale of all =
public
services - including education, health care, electricity and water, =
just to
name a few - to the world's largest, most powerful transnational =
corporations.
<BR><BR>Requests to include Communication and Audiovisual Services in =
GATS -
film, radio, television, video, and music production, as well as media =
distribution services such as satellite, cable and broadcast - have =
been put
forward before. <SPAN class=GramE>To date, many countries have =
resisted these
requests and fought for an (albeit limited) exemption from GATS known =
as the
'cultural exception.'</SPAN> So far, this stopgap has kept many media =
and
cultural services out of the agreement. If Communications and =
Audiovisual
Services do find their way into GATS this September, the repercussions =
will be
severe. <BR><BR>Certain measures taken by governments to defend or =
build media
localism, diversity, and pluralism could be classified as 'barriers to =
trade;'
other WTO member nations would be able to attack them using the =
binding
dispute mechanism of the WTO. Decisions on 'trade disputes' made by =
the WTO
are enforced by international law - member nations must comply with =
WTO
rulings or face multi-million or -billion dollar punitive sanctions. A =
variety
of measures crucial to delivering high quality public service =
broadcasting
would be seen as clear violations of GATS rules, including limits on =
media
ownership, specific restrictions on foreign media ownership, public =
service
obligations, and rules regarding cross ownership.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Even
if a country exempts its broadcast regulations and programs that =
support media
and culture from the current round of negotiations, the goal of GATS =
is
"progressive liberalization." This means that there would be strong =
pressure
to discard such exemptions in future, built-in negotiations. In =
addition,
efforts to improve regulatory structures would be impaired, since the =
legally
binding trade obligations of GATS virtually "lock-in" the regulatory =
status
quo. Any adjustments to regulatory structures that would change =
country
commitments under GATS would require compensation to all trading =
partners. At
a time of such dynamic change in the regulatory environment for media =
and
broadcast, this would be a public policy disaster. <BR><BR>For these =
reasons,
concerned citizens in many nations (including the European Union) have =
so far
successfully lobbied their governments to reject US proposals on
Communications and Audiovisual Services, and to block agreements that =
could
impact their nations' media systems. People everywhere recognize that =
a free,
diverse, local, and independent media system is a fundamental =
requirement for
a functioning democracy, and that ensuring such a media system =
requires
regulation in the public interest as well as support for public =
service,
local, nonprofit and independent media. <BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><![if =
!supportLineBreakNewLine]><BR
style="mso-special-character: =
line-break"><![endif]><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT =
color=black
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-STYLE: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal">Organizers:<U><o:p></o:p></U></SPAN></FONT></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'">AMARC
- World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters<BR><SPAN
class=GramE>CENCOS <BR>Centro</SPAN> de <SPAN =
class=SpellE>Medios</SPAN> <SPAN
class=SpellE>Independientes</SPAN> </SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT =
color=black
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'">Cancun</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT
color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'"><BR>COMCOSUR<BR>CRIS
- Communication Rights in the Information Society<BR>Free =
Press<BR>Global
Project<BR>Las <SPAN =
class=SpellE>Agencias</SPAN><BR><U>OURMedia</U>/<SPAN
class=SpellE>NUESTR@Smedios</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: =
10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: =
10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML=
>