UNCLAS ROME 003433

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR OES PDAS ROCK

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 03433 111441Z
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ETRD TBIO EAGR EAID ITALY'>IT FAO
SUBJECT: ITALY COMMITS ITSELF TO RESEARCH COOPERATION IN
AGRICULTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY

REFS: A) ROME 1965 B) ROME 2999 C) ROCK-MULENEX TELCOM JULY

01


1. THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST, SEEKING OES RESPONSE TO REFS
A AND B. SEE PARAGRAPH 4.


2. EMBASSY PROVIDES INFORMAL TRANSLATION OF A LETTER SENT
TO ESTCOUNS FROM ANTONIO CATRICALA, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE
PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS. THE LETTER IS DATED
JUNE 24 BUT WAS RECEIVED ON JULY 1.

BEGINNING OF INFORMAL EMBASSY TRANSLATION:

IN REFERENCE TO YOUR LETTER TO U/S LETTA SENT ON APRIL 18
AND SIGNED ALSO BY PROF. LEONARDO SANTI, I CAN CONFIRM, ALSO
WITH U/S LETTA'S APPROVAL, THE INTEREST AND COMMITMENT OF
THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT FOR A FRUITFUL COOPERATION WITH THE
U.S. ON BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH.

I REVIEWED THE PROPOSED TOPICS AND BELIEVE THAT THE AGREED
ISSUES COULD REPRESENT CONCRETE INITIATIVES.

IN THE BIOTECHNOLOGY FIELD, THE PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF
MINISTERS IS SUPPORTING A DEVELOPING PLAN, WHICH WILL BE
CARRIED OUT BY A WORKING GROUP WITHIN THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE
FOR BIOSAFETY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY. THE WORKING GROUP WILL
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 03433 111441Z
INCLUDE THE PRESIDENCY, THE INTERESTED MINISTRIES, THE
REGIONS AND THE COMPANY SVILUPPO ITALIA (ITALIAN
DEVELOPMENT).
THE PROGRAM WILL HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, IN A
PRIORITY WAY, THE NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN NEEDS, BUT IT SHOULD
ALSO EVALUATE, IN AN HARMONIC WAY, THE INDISPENSABLE TOOLS
FOR THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY INCLUDING THOSE
SUBJECTS MENTIONED IN YOUR LETTER.
WITHIN THE PRIORITIES TO BE CONSIDERED:
-THE FIGHT AGAINST BIOTERRORISM
-ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES
-BIOTECHNOLOGY CONTRIBUTION TO FOOD QUALITY
-BUILDING DEVELOPING WORLD CAPACITY TO EVALUATE
BIOTECHNOLOGIES.
I BELIEVE THAT THE ACTIVE U.S.-ITALY COOPERATION COULD
CONTRIBUTE TO REACHING THE COMMON OBJECTIVES OF OUR TWO
COUNTRIES. WISHING YOU A GOOD WORK, I SEND YOU MY BEST
REGARDS.

END OF EMBASSY INFORMAL TRANSLATION.


3. COMMENT: THE LETTER, COMING FROM THE PRIME MINISTER'S
OFFICE, IS FORMAL GOI APPROVAL FOR BILATERAL COOPERATION ON
BIOTECHNOLOGY. THE LETTER REFLECTS A DECISION WITHIN THE
PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE TO USE SCIENCE AS A LEVER TO CREATE
MORE ROOM FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY OPTIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD
TO THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE'S POSITION AGAINST
COMMERCIALIZATION OF AGROBIOTECHNOLOGY. AS REPORTED IN REF
A, THE GOI HAS ALREADY NAMED EXPERTS (31 IN TOTAL) FOR EACH
OF TEN SUBJECT AREAS OF MUTUAL INTEREST AND PROPOSED A
BILATERAL EXPERTS MEETING ON AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY TO
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 03433 111441Z
BE HELD LATER THIS YEAR. WE BELIEVE THIS IS THE CORRECT,
NEXT STEP IN OUR EFFORT TO RAISE THE BAR ON THE QUALITY OF
SCIENCE NEEDED TO UNDERPIN ITALIAN POLICY ON BIOTECHNOLOGY.


4. ACTION REQUEST: EMBASSY ASKS OES APPROVAL OF THE
BILATERAL COOPERATION CONCEPT. SECOND, WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
FOR AN INTERAGENCY EXPERTS MEETING IN THE FALL IN ORDER TO
EXPLORE SPECIFIC AREAS FOR COOPERATION. SPECIFICALLY WE
ENVISION BIOTERRORISM AND PLANT VACCINES; ENVIRONMENTAL
REMEDIATION; AGRICULTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY AND FOOD QUALITY;
RENEWABLE INDUSTRIAL FOOD SAFETY; NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY; AND
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY. PRIOR TO THE
MEETING, WE WILL NEED TO DECIDE WHETHER THE ACTIVITIES ARE
ADEQUATELY COVERED UNDER THE EXISTING SANDT AGREEMENT AND
ITS ANNEXES, OR WHETHER A NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENT,
E.G. LIKE THAT OF THE U.S.-EU BIOTECH TASK FORCE, WILL BE
MOST EFFECTIVE. END OF ACTION REQUEST.
SEMBLER

UNCLASSIFIED

>
2002ROME03433 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED