We have been advised that the Cabinet of Ministers in Azerbaijan issued a Decree on August 4, 1994 governing the protection of former USSR trademark rights in Azerbaijan. The Decree, which invalidates previous Decrees on the same subject, provides that all former USSR trademark registrations are considered automatically valid in Azerbaijan for their original duration. However, since such registrations will not be valid after their original duration, owners of such registrations must revalidate their registrations in Azerbaijan prior to:

December 31, 1994*,

as previously reported by our June 1994 Newsletter.

The new Decree does not appear to address the question of whether trademark applications which are pending in the Russian Patent Office may also be revalidated, although the Chairman of the Azerbaijan Patent Office has indicated that additional rules concerning such applications should be issued in due course. We are monitoring the situation closely and we shall keep our clients advised.

* Editor's Note: This dated was subsequently changed as was reported by our November 1995 Newsletter with respect to Patents and Trademarks.