Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME3299
2002-07-05 14:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

WORLD FOOD SUMMIT ENVIGORATES ITALIAN BIOTECH

Tags:  EAGR ETRD ECON TBIO IT 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 003299 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCIENCE ADVISOR NEUREITER
EB FOR A/S WAYNE, PDAS DONNELLY, DAS GADSDEN
EB/TPP/ATT FOR PEREZ
E FOR SHUB
EUR/ERA FOR HEN-NIL
OES FOR A/S TURNER, PDAS ROCK
STATE PASS USTR FOR STROJE, NOVELLI
STATE PASS USDA FOR APHIS:SMCCAMMON, USDA/FAS:BLUM
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 03299 01 OF 03 051439Z
USDA/OS/HEGWOOD
STATE PASS FDA FOR EFLAMM
NSC FOR EDSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON TBIO ETRD ECON TBIO ETRD ECON TBIO IT ITEAGR ITEAGR
SUBJECT: WORLD FOOD SUMMIT ENVIGORATES ITALIAN BIOTECH
DEBATE IN THE MEDIA

REFS: (A) ROME 3214

(B) ROME 2765

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 003299

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCIENCE ADVISOR NEUREITER
EB FOR A/S WAYNE, PDAS DONNELLY, DAS GADSDEN
EB/TPP/ATT FOR PEREZ
E FOR SHUB
EUR/ERA FOR HEN-NIL
OES FOR A/S TURNER, PDAS ROCK
STATE PASS USTR FOR STROJE, NOVELLI
STATE PASS USDA FOR APHIS:SMCCAMMON, USDA/FAS:BLUM
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 03299 01 OF 03 051439Z
USDA/OS/HEGWOOD
STATE PASS FDA FOR EFLAMM
NSC FOR EDSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON TBIO ETRD ECON TBIO ETRD ECON TBIO ITALY'>IT ITEAGR ITEAGR
SUBJECT: WORLD FOOD SUMMIT ENVIGORATES ITALIAN BIOTECH
DEBATE IN THE MEDIA

REFS: (A) ROME 3214

(B) ROME 2765


1. SUMMARY: THE RECENT WORLD FOOD SUMMIT (WFS5YL) IN ROME
PROMPTED THE ITALIAN MEDIA TO FEATURE A HEALTHY DOMESTIC
BIOTECHNOLOGY/GMO DEBATE. WHILE FULL LIBERALIZATION OF
BIOTECH TRADE WAS PERCEIVED AS A U.S. AGENDA, A NUMBER OF
PROMINENT ITALIAN POLITICAL FIGURES QUESTIONED THE ANTI-GMO
STANCE OF MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE ALEMANNO AND CAME OUT IN
SUPPORT OF FURTHER BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND APPLICATION.
ARTICLES AND EDITORIALS ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF GMOS,
THEIR ECONOMIC VALUE TO ITALY, AND THEIR POTENTIAL TO
REDUCE WORLD HUNGER ALSO PRESENTED AGRICULTURAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY IN A POSITIVE LIGHT. IN THE WAKE OF THIS
PUBLIC AIRING OF THE ISSUES, ITALIAN MEDIA COVERAGE OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY IS NOW SHOWING A MORE BALANCED DISCUSSION OF
THE ISSUES THAN PREVIOUSLY SEEN IN ITALY. WE ALSO WELCOME
THE CHORUS OF OPINION MAKERS THAT HAVE JOINED INTO THE
DEBATE, AGMINISTER ALEMANNO HAVING MONOPOLIZED IT FOR SOME
TIME. END SUMMARY.

ITALIAN PRESS PORTRAYS BIOTECH ARGUMENTS MORE FAIRLY
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 03299 01 OF 03 051439Z


2. AN EDITORIAL BY UNDERSECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS ALAN
LARSON APPEARED IN IL SOLE ON JUNE 7 AND FRAMED MANY ISSUES
THAT WOULD BE DISCUSSED DURING THE WEEK OF THE WFS5YL.

RECOGNIZING THAT REDUCING HUNGER WILL REQUIRE ACTION ON
MULTIPLE LEVELS, LARSON WROTE THAT THE USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
IS ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING METHODS FOR IMPROVING
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY. HE ADDED THAT DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY AWARE OF THE BENEFITS
OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, AND HE OBSERVED THAT BIOTECH ALSO OFFERS
ADVANTAGES BOTH TO EUROPE AND TO THE UNITED STATES. ITALY,
LARSON CONCLUDED, COULD ASSUME A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN HELPING
EUROPE OVERCOME CONTEMPORARY SUPERSTITIONS AND FOCUS ON
SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS, REVISING NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY
POLICIES THAT BLOCK BIOTECHNOLOGY'S GREAT POTENTIAL TO
REDUCE HUNGER, ENCOURAGE RURAL DEVELOPMENT, REDUCE THE USE
OF PESTICIDES, AND MANAGE MORE EFFICIENTLY THE PLANET'S
SCARCE NATURAL RESOURCES.


3. THROUGHOUT THE SUMMIT, MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE ALEMANNO
USED THE MEDIA TO CALL FOR A CONTINUATION OF ITALY'S
CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY. IN A
JUNE 10 EDITORIAL IN IL CORRIERE DELLA SERA, ALEMANNO WROTE
THAT THE SUMMIT DECLARATION CALLED FOR AN EXTREMELY PRUDENT
OPENING TO GMOS AND LEFT ROOM FOR MULTIPLE POSSIBILITIES.
HE THEN LAUNCHED INTO HIS MANTRA THAT GMOS DO NOT MAKE
SENSE ECONOMICALLY OR COMMERCIALLY FOR ITALY, WHOSE PROBLEM
HE DESCRIBED AS NOT PRODUCING MORE BUT SELLING WHAT IT
ALREADY PRODUCES. HE ADDED THAT, AMONG THE THREE NATIONAL
FARMER ORGANIZATIONS, COLDIRETTI SUPPORTS ZERO TOLERANCE
AND THAT CONFAGRICOLTURA AND CIA HAVE NOT SHOWN A STRONG
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 03299 01 OF 03 051439Z
DESIRE FOR GMO USAGE. IN DEFENDING HIS POSITION IN LA
REPUBBLICA AND FOGLIO (BOTH JUNE 11),ALEMANNO, ON SEPARATE
OCCASIONS, PORTRAYED THE SUMMIT DECLARATION AND HIS
COMMENTS TO SECRETARY VENEMAN DURING THEIR BIOTECH MEETING
AS VICTORIES FOR INDIVIDUAL CHOICE AND SAFETY OVER THE U.S.
OBJECTIVE WHICH HE CHARACTERIZED AS TOTAL LIBERALIZATION.


4. ON JUNE 12 MINISTER OF PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES ANTONIO
MARZANO PUBLICLY ENDORSED GMOS AS A NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT
INSTRUMENT IN THE BATTLE AGAINST HUNGER. THE PRESS FOCUSED
ON THE MINISTERIAL DIVISION OVER TRANSGENIC FOOD (REPORTED
IN LA STAMPA, FOGLIO, LA NAZIONE, IL TEMPO, AND L'UNITA',
JUNE 13). ALEMANNO, WHO HAS MAINTAINED THAT BIOTECHNOLOGY
IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO SOLVING WORLD HUNGER (IL TEMPO, JUNE
12),RETORTED THAT MARZANO, DUE TO HIS MINISTERIAL
POSITION, WAS MORE DISPOSED TOWARD USING NEW TECHNOLOGIES
AND WAS EXPRESSING HIS PERSONAL OPINION. HE SUGGESTED THE
ISSUE NEEDED TO BE EXPLORED IN GREATER DEPTH IN THE COUNCIL
OF MINISTERS AND POSSIBLY IN PARLIAMENT (LA STAMPA, IL
TEMPO). HE MAINTAINED THAT, ALTHOUGH GMO FOODS MIGHT BE
USEFUL IN OTHER COUNTRIES, THEY ARE NOT MARKETABLE IN ITALY
(LA REPUBBLICA, JUNE 11) AND IRONICALLY COMMENTED THAT HE
WOULD SHAKE THE HAND OF ANYONE WHO WOULD CHOOSE GMO-
CONTAINING MOZZARELLA OVER THE D.O.C. VERSION (LA STAMPA).

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ7174

PAGE 01 ROME 03299 02 OF 03 051438Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 COME-00
CTME-00 DODE-00 ITCE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EXME-00
E-00 FAAE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 FRB-00 HHS-01 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01
NSAE-00 OES-01 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PM-00 ACE-00 SP-00
IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00
EPAE-00 ECA-00 PMB-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /011W
-------------- C70771 051438Z /38
P 051450Z JUL 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4634
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL FLORENCE
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMCONSUL NAPLES
NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 003299

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCIENCE ADVISOR NEUREITER
EB FOR A/S WAYNE, PDAS DONNELLY, DAS GADSDEN
EB/TPP/ATT FOR PEREZ
E FOR SHUB
EUR/ERA FOR HEN-NIL
OES FOR A/S TURNER, PDAS ROCK
STATE PASS USTR FOR STROJE, NOVELLI
STATE PASS USDA FOR APHIS:SMCCAMMON, USDA/FAS:BLUM
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 03299 02 OF 03 051438Z
USDA/OS/HEGWOOD
STATE PASS FDA FOR EFLAMM
NSC FOR EDSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON TBIO ETRD ECON TBIO ETRD ECON TBIO IT ITEAGR ITEAGR
SUBJECT: WORLD FOOD SUMMIT ENVIGORATES ITALIAN BIOTECH
DEBATE IN THE MEDIA


5. THE JUNE 13 COMMENTS OF PM SILVIO BERLUSCONI AT THE
CONCLUSION OF THE WFS5YL WERE CAUTIOUS, BUT, UNLIKE
ALEMANNO, THE PM ACKNOWLEDGED THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF
AGRICULTURAL BIOTECH. BERLUSCONI REJECTED IDEOLOGICAL AND
PREJUDICIAL POSITIONS AND STATED THAT THE PRODUCTIVE AND
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF GMO SEEDS COULD NOT BE IGNORED.
HE ADDED THAT THE FREEDOM OF THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO USE GMOS
AND WHOSE HUNGER CAN BE ABATED BY THEM SHOULD NOT BE
RESTRICTED BY CONSUMERS WHO DO NOT WANT TO PURCHASE GM
PRODUCTS (FOR FULL COMMENTS, SEE ROME 02989). IL CORRIERE
DELLA SERA COMMENTED THAT BERLUSCONI'S REMARKS ECHOED
POINTS MADE AT THE SUMMIT BY SECRETARY VENEMAN. THERE
APPEARED TO BE NO OUTRIGHT PRESS SANCTION OR APPROVAL OF
BERLUSCONI'S COMMENTS, BUT NEWSPAPERS REPORTED THEM WITHIN
THE LESS PRO-BIOTECH CONTEXT OF FODAG DG JAQUES DIOUF'S
OBSERVATION THAT WATER IS A MORE IMMEDIATE PRIORITY THAN
BIOTECH (IL TEMPO),GREENPEACE'S OPPOSITION TO THE PM'S
STANCE (IL SOLE),AND ALEMANNO'S COMMENT THAT THE U.S. AND
EU OPINIONS STILL REMAINED FAR APART AT THE CLOSE OF THE
SUMMIT (IL TEMPO). IL SOLE STATED THAT THE COMPROMISE
REACHED ON BIOTECH BETWEEN THE U.S. AND EUROPE WOULD PROVE
TO BE MORE OF A POLITICAL RECONCILIATION THAN A TOOL IN
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 03299 02 OF 03 051438Z
FIGHTING HUNGER (ALL REPORTED ON JUNE 14).

THE MEDIA'S GMO DEBATE: TO MODIFY OR NOT TO MODIFY?


6. THE PRO-GMO/ANTI-GMO DEBATE TOOK PLACE IN THE FORM OF
NUMEROUS ARTICLES, INTERVIEWS, AND EDITORIALS. SCIENTIFIC
ENDORSEMENTS OF GMOS HELPED BALANCE ALEMANNO'S ANTI-GMO
STATEMENTS AND THE UNFAVORABLE OPINIONS ESPOUSED BY
ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE NGO FORUM. INTERVIEWS WITH NOBEL
PEACE PRIZE WINNER NORMAN BORLAUG (LA NAZIONE, JUNE 13,
SEPTEL),PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
TOMMASO SCARASCIA MUGNOZZA (IL CORRIERE DELLA SERA, JUNE
9),AND FORMER MINISTER OF HEALTH VERONESI (IL CORRIERE
DELLA SERA, JUNE 11) ALL SPOKE TO THE HEALTH SAFETY OF
GMOS, NOTING THAT CONVENTIONAL FOODS DO NOT CARRY ZERO
RISK. IN ITALY'S ELITE, CLASSICAL LIBERAL DAILY (IL
FOGLIO, JUNE 13),THE EDITORIAL "BIOTECH FOOD TRIES HARD TO
BECOME NICER (AND MORE USEFUL)," ARCHLY OBSERVED THAT 99
PER CENT OF THE 70 PER CENT OF ITALIANS WHO OPPOSE GMO FOOD
WOULD REGARD A WORM IN THEIR PRODUCE WITH DISGUST, DESPITE
THE FACT THAT THESE PARASITES ARE THE ONLY POSITIVE PROOF
THAT THE FOOD HAS NOT BEEN GENETICALLY MODIFIED.


7. IN HIS CORRIERE INTERVIEW, SCARASCIA MUGNOZZA (A WHEAT
BREEDER FROM THE 1960S) NOTED THAT HE SAW SIGNS OF AN
OPENING IN THE GOVERNMENT THAT COULD ALLOW ITALY TO JUMP
BACK ON THE BIOTECH TRAIN AND STRESSED THAT BIOTECHNOLOGY
IN AGRICULTURE IS NECESSARY IF ITALY WANTS TO BE
COMPETITIVE. IN AN EDITORIAL SPEAKING TO THE
ENTREPRENEURIAL TUSCAN SPIRIT, PRESIDENT OF THE FLORENCE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LUCA MANTELLASSI TALKED OF THE
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 03299 02 OF 03 051438Z
PROPORTIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC
GROWTH AND LAMENTED ITALY'S RELATIVELY LOW LEVEL OF
INVESTMENT DEDICATED TO SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL
RESEARCH (LA NAZIONE, JUNE 11.) THE UTILITY THAT GMOS
COULD HAVE IN ALLEVIATING WORLD HUNGER WAS HIGHLIGHTED
OFTEN IN VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE DAILIES, AND IL FOGLIO MADE A
REFERENCE TO THE STUDY BY UNIVERSITY OF MILAN PROFESSOR
FRANCESCO SALA SHOWING HOW ITALIAN AT-RISK "TYPICAL"
PRODUCTS COULD BE SAVED BY BIOTECHNOLOGY. A JUNE 12
EDITORIAL IN IL CORRIERE COMMENTED THAT GMOS WERE A NATURAL
STEP IN THE AGRICULTURE CONTINUUM, THAT ITALIAN AVERSION TO
THEM RESULTED MORE FROM THEIR LACK OF BEING CHIC THAN FROM
ANY SCIENTIFIC OPPOSITION, AND THAT IT WOULD BE IMMORAL TO
ALLOW RICH CONSUMERS' DIFFIDENCE TOWARD GMOS TO PRECLUDE
THEIR USE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER.


8. OPPOSITION TO GMOS, ASIDE FROM ALEMANNO'S ASSERTION THAT
THEY DID NOT MAKE SENSE FOR ITALY, WAS REPORTED MAINLY IN
THE CONTEXT OF NGO OBJECTIONS, WHICH CONTRADICTORILY CALLED
FOR ZERO TOLERANCE AND AN END TO PATENTING. WHILE SOME
PAPERS TENDED TO PORTRAY NGO ACTIVISTS AS SLIGHTLY EXTREME
AND IRRATIONAL, OTHERS FEATURED ACTIVISTS IN MORE POSITIVE
INTERVIEWS. L'UNITA', THE PAPER OF THE PRO-DEMOCRATIC LEFT
PARTY, GAVE PARTICULARLY STRONG ATTENTION TO THE ACTIVISTS'
CAUSE, STRESSING THAT IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING THE

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ7175

PAGE 01 ROME 03299 03 OF 03 051438Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 COME-00
CTME-00 DODE-00 ITCE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EXME-00
E-00 FAAE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 FRB-00 HHS-01 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 JUSE-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00
AC-01 NSAE-00 OES-01 OMB-01 OPIC-01 ACE-00 SP-00
SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00
ECA-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /011W
-------------- C7077C 051438Z /38
P 051450Z JUL 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4635
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL FLORENCE
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMCONSUL NAPLES
NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 003299

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCIENCE ADVISOR NEUREITER
EB FOR A/S WAYNE, PDAS DONNELLY, DAS GADSDEN
EB/TPP/ATT FOR PEREZ
E FOR SHUB
EUR/ERA FOR HEN-NIL
OES FOR A/S TURNER, PDAS ROCK
STATE PASS USTR FOR STROJE, NOVELLI
STATE PASS USDA FOR APHIS:SMCCAMMON, USDA/FAS:BLUM
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 03299 03 OF 03 051438Z
USDA/OS/HEGWOOD
STATE PASS FDA FOR EFLAMM
NSC FOR EDSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON TBIO ETRD ECON TBIO ETRD ECON TBIO IT ITEAGR ITEAGR
SUBJECT: WORLD FOOD SUMMIT ENVIGORATES ITALIAN BIOTECH
DEBATE IN THE MEDIA

ENVIRONMENT AND ASSURING THAT THE RIGHTS TO A REGION'S
BIODIVERSITY AND LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES REMAIN IN THE
HANDS OF THE LOCAL POPULATION. THE CONCERN THAT
MULTINATIONALS MIGHT MONOPOLIZE PROFITS TO THE DETRIMENT OF
POOR FARMERS (THROUGH PATENTING, TERMINATOR SEEDS, ETC.)
WAS A THEME RAISED IN IL CORRIERE DELLA SERA, IL TEMPO, AND
L'UNITA', AMONG OTHERS. PROTESTERS' OCCUPATION OF A
UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FACILITY NEAR VITERBO LATE IN THE WEEK
RECEIVED WIDESPREAD COVERAGE, CALLING ATTENTION TO THE
CONTINUED OBJECTIONS RAISED TO NGO RESEARCH. NOTE:
ACTUALLY ONLY ABOUT 40 PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN THE
UNIVERSITY OF TUSCIA INCIDENT. END NOTE.


9. COMMENT: THE SUMMIT TEMPORARILY TRIGGERED A TREMENDOUSLY
INCREASED QUANTITY OF PRESS COVERAGE ON BIOTECH. NEWS
COVERAGE IN THE CORRIERE DELLA SERA, IL GIORNALE, LA
NAZIONE, AND IL FOGLIO WAS THE MOST COMPLETE, FEATURING
BOTH SIDES, RATIONAL ARGUMENTATION, AND THE OBSERVATION
THAT BIOTECHNOLOGY, LIKE MANY OTHER TOOLS, CAN BE USED TO
BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ENDS. IL FOGLIO, IN FACT,
EXPRESSED ITSELF IN FAVOR OF A MORE OPEN GMO POLICY.
OVERALL, THE PRO-BIOTECH SIDE WAS BETTER REPRESENTED THAN
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 03299 03 OF 03 051438Z
IT NORMALLY IS IN ITALIAN PRESS. IL TEMPO E L'UNITA' TENDED
TO BE MORE CRITICAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AND TO WORRY ABOUT THE
ENVIRONMENTAL, ETC. RISKS OF GMOS. CONCERNS THAT
BIOTECHNOLOGY WILL ONLY BENEFIT MULTINATIONALS AND THAT
GMOS WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON BIODIVERSITY HAVE
EMERGED IN THE MEDIA AS AREAS OF CONTENTION THAT NEED TO BE
ADDRESSED. END COMMENT.


10. THIS CABLE WAS PREPARED BY SCIENCE INTERN LEIGH SYLVAN.

SEMBLER

UNCLASSIFIED

>
2002ROME03299 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED