WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER: INFORMAL

UNCLAS ROME 002188 SIPDIS USDA FOR FAS/LYNN REICH AND DICK HUGHES STATE FOR IO/EDA ROSE BERSTEIN USAID FOR RALPH CUMMINGS FROM FODAG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC EAID FAO AGR SUBJECT: WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER: INFORMAL DISCUSSION OF DRAFT DECLARATION ¶1. SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: AT THE INSTIGATION OF THE INDEPENDENT CHAIR OF THE FAO COUNCIL, A GROUP WILL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 02188 061414Z MEET INFORMALLY MAY 18 TO EXCHANGE VIEWS ON THE DRAFT DECLARATION FOR THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER. GUIDANCE REQUESTED NO LATER THAN MAY 16 ON THE DRAFT TEXT FOR USE DURING THE EXCHANGE OF VIEWS. END SUMMARY. ¶2. AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF REPRESENTATIVES OF FAO'S SEVEN REGIONAL GROUPS, CHAIRED BY THE INDEPENDENT CHAIRMAN OF THE FAO COUNCIL, IT WAS DECIDED TO MEET AT THE FAO ON MAY 18 TO EXCHANGE VIEWS ON THE TEXT OF A DRAFT DECLARATION FOR THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT:FIVE YEARS LATER (WFS5YL). THE STARTING POINT IS THE HEAVILY BRACKETED DRAFT THAT WAS LEFT UNFINISHED WHEN THE OPEN- ENDED WORKING GROUP (OEWG) LAST MET IN JUNE, 2001. THE COMPOSITION OF THE MEETING WILL REFLECT THE COMPOSITION OF THE OEWG AND THE TWO CO-CHAIRS ARE TO REPRESENT BOTH THE G-77 AND OECD GROUPS. ¶3. SEVERAL DELEGATIONS (AND THE DIRECTOR GENERAL) HAVE PUSHED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO ADVANCE NEGOTIATION OF THE TEXT OF THE DECLARATION IN ORDER TO CONCLUDE EARLIER THAN HAD BEEN AGREED LAST NOVEMBER, I.E. BY THE COMMITTEE ON FOOD SECURITY (CFS) JUNE 6-8. OTHER GROUPS, MOST NOTABLY THE EUROPEAN REGION, HAVE INSISTED THAT THE TIMETABLE AGREED TO AT THE LAST COUNCIL BE RESPECTED. SEVERAL REGIONAL GROUPS HAVE CONSULTED INTERNALLY, BUT TO DATE THERE HAS BEEN NO EXCHANGE OF VIEWS AMONG THE GROUPS. ¶4. THE EU HAS EXAMINED THE DECLARATION AT THE EXPERT LEVEL IN BRUSSELS AND STARTED A SERIES OF CONSULTATIONS WITH OTHER GROUPS IN ROME, BUT HAS NOT AGREED AMONG MEMBER STATES ON A FINAL TEXT. THEY MEET AGAIN IN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 02188 061414Z BRUSSELS MAY 15. THE EU HAS IDENTIFIED PARAS 8, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19 AND 21 AS PROBLEMATIC. ¶5. PROGRESS IS MIXED ON AMONG THE G-77 GROUPS. THE LATIN AMERICAN GROUP REPORTEDLY HAS AGREED ON A TEXT, BUT OTHERS IN THE G-77 ARE STILL STAKING OUT THE GROUND RULES. THE MIDDLE EAST GROUP PROPOSED DISCUSSION OF BRACKETED TEXT ONLY, REJECTING PROPOSALS TO INTRODUCE NEW LANGUAGE. THE CO-CHAIR FROM THE AFRICA GROUP EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT THE OEWG IS CLOSE TO AGREEMENT ON MANY POINTS BUT NEEDS TIME FOR DISCUSSION. THE ASIA GROUP IS DIVIDED BETWEEN THOSE WHO PREFER TO STICK TO THE AGREED TIMETABLE AND THOSE PUSHING FOR ADVANCEMENT. ¶6. WHILE THE EU, US AND AUSTRALIA STRESSED THAT SUCH A MEETING SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A NEGOTIATION, REPRESENTATIVES AGREED AN INFORMAL EXCHANGE OF VIEWS WOULD FACILITATE PREPARATIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE ON FOOD SECURITY WHICH MEETS JUNE 6-8. ALTHOUGH IT WAS AGREED THERE SHOULD BE TWO CO-CHAIRS, THE MAIN STICKING POINT THAT REMAINS IS WHO WILL REPRESENT THE OECD SIDE. (IRANIAN AMBASSADOR NOORI NAEENI WILL CHAIR FOR THE G- 77). THE IRISH REPRESENTATIVE WHO CHAIRED THE CFS AND OEWG IS NOT ABLE TO COME TO ROME IN ADVANCE OF JUNE. THE INDEPENDENT CHAIR SUGGESTED THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PROGRAM COMMITTEE, WHO IS FROM THE NETHERLANDS, BUT HE WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE. ANOTHER SUGGESTION WAS THAT THE U.S. (ACTING PERM REP),AS A MEMBER OF THE CFS BUREAU, CO-CHAIR THE MEETING. ¶7. ACTION REQUEST: DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE REQUESTED ON THE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 02188 061414Z TEXT OF THE DRAFT DECLARATION FOR USE DURING THE INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS MAY 17. OF PARTICULAR USE WOULD BE: ---INDICATIONS OF WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE TEXT REPLACED WITH LANGUAGE DRAWN FROM ANOTHER AGREED TEXT (E.G., THE MONTERREY OUTCOME ON FINANCING OR THE DOHA AGREEMENT ON THE NEW TRADE ROUND); -- INDICATIONS OF TEXT WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE TO THE U.S. ¶8. WHILE THERE WILL BE STRONG PRESSURE TO REFRAIN FROM INTRODUCING NEW PARAGRAPHS, THE INFORMAL MEETING WILL BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO FLOAT ANY NEW TOPICS WHICH WE MAY WISH TO SEE COVERED IN THE DECLARATION. ¶9. DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE ALSO REQUESTED ON U.S. CO- CHAIRING WITH AMBASSADOR NOORI NAEENI THE INFORMAL EXCHANGE OF VIEWS ON MAY 18. HEILEMAN UNCLASSIFIED > 2002ROME02188 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED