G0VERNMENT PAPER

UNCLAS HARARE 002061 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO KMDR ZI SUBJECT: G0VERNMENT PAPER ¶1. Under headline "Correct labeling of GM food a must" the government-owned daily "Herald" uses its September 7 editorial as a petulant parting shot at food assistance from the U.S. Excerpts: ¶2. "Now that government has accepted genetically modified food aid from the American Government, it is imperative that this food be appropriately labeled to give consumers and aid beneficiaries a choice to either starve or risk eating it. The measures that have been put in place to quarantine the American maize and closely monitor its transport, milling and distribution will certainly go a long way in protecting the country's agricultural industry from contamination. However, without any conclusive evidence on the effects of GMOs on human beings, the responsibility of eating this food now lies with the individual consumer and aid beneficiary. If government had its way and enough resources to source and import clean maize to feed the entire nation, it would definitely not risk the health of its people. . . So the final responsibility lies with Zimbabweans themselves to either eat or not provided they have adequate information warning consumers that this food is genetically engineered. . ." SULLIVAN