WFP BOARD DISCUSSION OF BIOTECH FOOD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 005226

SIPDIS

FROM FODAG

STATE FOR U/S LARSON AND ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY BILL
WOODS
OES FOR HAROLD FOSTER, EB FOR KLEMM AND MALAC
USDA FOR ED SCARBROUGH, USDA/FAS FOR REICH/HUGHES,
USDA/APHIS FOR ENRIGHT/DUNAHAY
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 05226 01 OF 02 250950Z
USAID FOR JOSETTE LEWIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC EAGR EAGR SENV FAO WHO SENV AORC FAO WHO
SUBJECT: WFP BOARD DISCUSSION OF BIOTECH FOOD


1. SUMMARY: DURING THE OCTOBER 21, 2002 DISCUSSION OF
BIOTECH ENGINEERED FOOD AID AT THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM, EU
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD ARGUED THAT WORKABLE
ALTERNATIVES TO BIOTECH ENGINEERED FOOD AID MUST BE FOUND
AND THAT THE SOVEREIGN RIGHT OF COUNTRIES TO ACCEPT OR
REJECT BIOTECH FOOD AID MUST BE RESPECTED. THE EU ARGUED
IN FAVOR OF IMPLEMENTING "ADVANCE INFORMED AGREEMENT"
BEFORE THE ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL.
THE UNITED STATES SPOKE MOST FORCEFULLY ON BEHALF OF
THOSE WHO ARE IN DANGER OF STARVING (WITH SUPPORT FROM
CANADA AND JAPAN). THE G-77 COUNTRIES STATED THAT THEY
HAD NOT HAD ADEQUATE TIME TO CONSIDER THIS COMPLEX ISSUE
AND WOULD HAVE TO CONSULT THEIR CAPITALS. THE DUTCH, WHO
HAD REQUESTED THE ITEM BE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD, PUSHED
FOR A STRONGER DECISION FROM THE BOARD THAN THE ONE
ADOPTED (TO "TAKE NOTE" OF THE PAPER AND "LOOK FORWARD"
TO FOLLOW UP MEASURES.) THE OFFICERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
BOARD WILL LIKELY MEET TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE
NEXT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING IN FEBRUARY. END SUMMARY.


2. AT THE REQUEST OF THE NETHERLANDS DELEGATION, THE WFP
EXECUTIVE BOARD HAD BEFORE IT AN INFORMATION DOCUMENT
OUTLINING WFP POLICY CONCERNING BIOTECH ENGINEERED FOOD
AID. THE ENSUING DISCUSSION ON OCTOBER 21, 2002 REVEALED
SERIOUS CONFUSION AND CONCERNS AMONG BOTH OECD DONOR AND
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PAGE 03 ROME 05226 01 OF 02 250950Z
RECIPIENT COUNTRIES CONCERNING THE HEALTH AND
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT OF BIOTECH ENGINEERED FOOD.


3. THE DUTCH, IN THEIR INTRODUCTORY REMARKS,
ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WFP WAS NOT THE PLACE TO DISCUSS FOOD
SAFETY NOR TRADE, BUT ARGUED THAT IT WAS THE FORUM TO
DISCUSS FOOD AID. THEY EMPHASIZED THE RIGHT OF RECIPIENT
COUNTRIES TO ACCEPT OR REFUSE FOOD AID ON THE BASIS OF
"INFORMED CONSENT" AND CALLED FOR PROVIDING WORKABLE
ALTERNATIVES TO BIOTECH FOOD AID. NORWAY AND BELGIUM
ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD RESTRICT CASH CONTRIBUTIONS TO
PURCHASE NON-GMO FOOD ONLY. SWITZERLAND NOTED THAT EVEN
IF FOOD WAS SAFE TO CONSUME, THE EFFECT ON BIODIVERSITY
WAS STILL UNCLEAR AND ADVOCATED MILLING.


4. THE EC REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT HE REALIZED THAT NON-
ACCEPTANCE POSED LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS SUCH THAT FOOD MIGHT
NOT ARRIVE IN TIME TO SAVE LIVES. HOWEVER, GOVERNMENTS
SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO APPLY THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE TO
PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE
ENVIRONMENT FROM BIOTECH MAIZE (PARTICULARLY BULK FOOD
AID BEING USED AS SEEDS WHICH WAS LIKELY TO CONTAMINATE
LOCAL VARIETIES WHICH WERE "BETTER ADAPTED.") THE EC
ASKED DONORS TO GIVE CASH TO FUND LOCAL PROCUREMENT OF
FOOD AID. THEY ALSO CALLED FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
ADVANCE INFORMED AGREEMENT PROVISION OF THE CARTAGENA
PROTOCOL "BEFORE IT ENTERED INTO FORCE." AT THE SAME
TIME, THE EC REPRESENTATIVES ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE EU
ALLOWS THE IMPORT OF GM MAIZE FOR FOOD AND INTENTIONAL
INTRODUCTION INTO THE ENVIRONMENT, AND DOES NOT BAN THE
IMPORT OF ANIMALS FED ON GM MAIZE.
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 05226 01 OF 02 250950Z


5. THE U.S. PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE, AMBASSADOR TONY
HALL, SPOKE FORCEFULLY IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING BIOTECH
ENGINEERED FOOD AID TO PREVENT IMPENDING DISASTER IN
SOUTHERN AFRICA. HE RECOUNTED THAT HE HAD VISITED THE
SUB-REGION LAST WEEK AND WITNESSED FIRST-HAND HOW
DESPERATE THE SITUATION WAS. AMBASSADOR HALL STATED THAT
BECAUSE INTERNATIONAL BODIES WERE DEBATING GM FOOD IT WAS
CREATING FEAR AND CAUSING DELAYS IN GETTING ASSISTANCE TO
THE HUNGRY AND AS A RESULT, PEOPLE WOULD DIE. AMBASSADOR
HALL POINTED OUT THAT THE UNITED STATES HAD PREDICTED
THERE WOULD BE A CRISIS AND RESPONDED IN A TIMELY WAY
WITH DONATIONS OF TONS OF FOOD THAT IS EATEN BY MILLIONS
EVERY DAY IN THE UNITED STATES AND ELSEWHERE. THIS WAS
FOOD THAT HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO RIGOROUS TESTING FOR
SAFETY AND WHICH POSED NO KNOWN RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH.
RATHER, BIOTECH FOOD OFFERED HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF
AGRICULTURE.

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3779

PAGE 01 ROME 05226 02 OF 02 250950Z
ACTION SSO-00

INFO LOG-00 AID-00 ANHR-00 EB-00 E-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00
IO-00 OES-01 SS-00 TEST-00 SAS-00 /001W
-------------- FE1116 250950Z /38
R 250900Z OCT 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6562
INFO USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION US IN NEW YORK NY
USDA FAS WASHDC 2343
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY MASERU
AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
AMEMBASSY HARARE
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY MBABANE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
USEU BRUSSELS 2870

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 005226

SIPDIS

FROM FODAG

STATE FOR U/S LARSON AND ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY BILL
WOODS
OES FOR HAROLD FOSTER, EB FOR KLEMM AND MALAC
USDA FOR ED SCARBROUGH, USDA/FAS FOR REICH/HUGHES,
USDA/APHIS FOR ENRIGHT/DUNAHAY
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 05226 02 OF 02 250950Z
USAID FOR JOSETTE LEWIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC EAGR EAGR SENV FAO WHO SENV AORC FAO WHO
SUBJECT: WFP BOARD DISCUSSION OF BIOTECH FOOD


7. AMBASSADOR HALL MENTIONED THAT NO ONE HE MET IN
SOUTHERN AFRICA MENTIONED BIOTECH -- NOT NGO'S, OR
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, LET ALONE POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES.
HE CLOSED BY NOTING THAT BOTH ACTION AND INACTION HAVE
CONSEQUENCES IN SUCH A SITUATION.


8. THE FEW REPRESENTATIVES OF THE G-77 THAT SPOKE VOICED
THEIR FRUSTRATION AT BEING CAUGHT IN THIS DILEMMA. IRAN,
WHO CHAIRS THE G-77, SAID THE RECIPIENTS DON'T KNOW IF
THERE IS A RISK OR NOT, THAT PEOPLE ARE FACED WITH THE
"CHOICE BETWEEN STARVING NOW OR DYING IN SIX MONTHS TIME
IF THEY CONSUME GMO'S." HE CALLED ON WFP TO BRING IN
EXPERTS TO INFORM THE MEMBERSHIP. ZIMBABWE, WHO SPEAKS
FOR THE AFRICAN REGIONAL GROUP, SAID THE ISSUE WAS TOO
SENSITIVE TO DECIDE WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH CAPITALS.


9. COMMENT: AS EXPECTED, THE DISCUSSION OF BIOTECH
ENGINEERED FOOD AID DEGENERATED INTO A DISCUSSION OF THE
"RISKS" -- TO HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT -- BY A
BODY THAT IS NOT EQUIPPED OR MANDATED TO HANDLE QUESTIONS
OF RISK ANALYSIS AND RISK MANAGEMENT. THE EU COUNTRIES
APPEAR TO BE LINING UP BEHIND THE "SOLUTION" OF
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL'S "ADVANCE
INFORMED AGREEMENT" PROVISIONS PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO FORCE
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 05226 02 OF 02 250950Z
OF THE AGREEMENT. THE COMPLACENCY OF THIS APPROACH --
WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION OF HOW AND WHY DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE SUCH AGREEMENT IS
SHOCKING WHEN THE HUMAN SUFFERING RESULTING FROM DELAYS
IS ALREADY THERE TO BE SEEN. HALL

UNCLASSIFIED

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2002ROME05226 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED