WFPASKS SUPPORT OF SECRETARY GENERAL ANNAN TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 005540

SIPDIS

FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

SENSITIVE
USUN FOR US REP TO ECOSOC AMBASSADOR SEN
USMISSION GENEVA FOR AMBASSADOR MOLEY
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS AND AA/DCHA WINTER
STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, ACTING A/S IO WOOD, IO/EDA WINNICK
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS
USEU BRUSSELS
NSC FOR JDWORKEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 05540 01 OF 02 141312Z
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EUEAID WFP UN
SUBJECT: WFPASKS SUPPORT OF SECRETARY GENERAL ANNAN TO
REMOVEJEAN ZIEGLER, UN SPECIAL REPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT T
FOOD

REF: (A) STATE 206314

SENSITIVE BUT NCLASSIFIED - PLEASE TREAT ACCORDINGLY

--------------
SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECOR JAMES MORRIS IN A LETTER TO
UN SECRETARY-GENERL KOFI ANNAN (DATED OCTOBER 24)
UNDERLINED THAT HE UN'S SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO
FOOD JEAN ZIEGLER) IS SERIOUSLY DAMAGING THE EFFORTS OFTHE
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM TO RESPOND TO FOOD CRISESAROUND THE
WORLD, AND PARTICULARLY NOW IN SOUTHER AFRICA. MORRIS'
LETTER HIGHLIGHTS A NUMBER OF PRCEIVED PUBLIC MISSTATEMENTS
MADE BY ZIEGLER, TOTHE DETRIMENT OF THE WORK OF THE UN.
MORRIS' LETER IS COPIED TO SERGIO VIEIRA DE MELLO (THE UN
HGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS) FOR HIS CONSIDERATION.
END SUMMARY.

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BACKGROUND
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2. (SBU) USMISSION CALLED WFP REGARDING A RECENT REUTERS
GENEVA NEWS REPORT ENTITLED "U.N. FOOD ENVOY QUESTIONS
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 05540 01 OF 02 141312Z
SAFETY OF GENE CROPS" AND A GENEVA INTER PRESS SERVICE VIA
NEWSEDGE CORPORATION RELEASE, "DEVELOPMENT/FOOD EXPERT SAYS
WORLD BANK BLOCKS PROGRESS." WFP'S NEIL GALLAGHER (PLEASE
PROTECT) RESPONDED BY PROVIDING MISSION WITH THE FOLLOWING
LETTER:

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TEXT OF LETTER FROM WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JAMES T. MORRIS
TO UN SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN, DATED OCTOBER 24
-------------- --------------


3. (SBU) "DEAR MR. SECRETARY-GENERAL: KNOWING HOW BUSY YOU
ARE, I REGRET HAVING TO TAKE YOUR TIME ON THIS ISSUE, BUT
SINCE I ARRIVED HERE AT THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME, I HAVE
BEEN FOLLOWING WITH SOME CONCERN THE PUBLIC STATEMENTS OF
JEAN ZIEGLER, THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD.
IN PARTICULAR, I WAS DISTURBED BY THE ATTACHED RELEASE BY
REUTERS WHICH GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT MR. ZIEGLER SPEAKS
ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED NATIONS. YOU WILL NOTE IN THE TEXT
THAT MR. ZIEGLER HAS ATTACKED THE AGREED POSITION OF THE
UNITED NATIONS AND THE VIEWS OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF WHO
ON GM/BIOTECH FOODS AND HE HAS DONE SO WITHOUT CITING ANY
SCIENTIFIC AUTHORITIES, STUDIES OR REPORTS. WFP STAFF IN
GENEVA CONFIRMED DIRECTLY WITH HIM THAT THE SUBSTANCE OF THE
REUTERS REPORT WAS CORRECT AND THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN
MISQUOTED.

THE LAST THING WE NEED RIGHT NOW IN SOUTHERN AFRICA - OR
ANYWHERE FOR THAT MATTER - IS FOR SOMEONE WHOSE CREDENTIALS
ARE IN SOCIOLOGY AND LAW TO PASS JUDGMENT ON THE SCIENTIFIC
COMPETENCY OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION OR OTHER UN
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 05540 01 OF 02 141312Z
BODIES WHICH HAVE STUDIED THE ISSUE OF GM FOODS WITH CARE
AND CONTINUE TO DO SO. IT IS ESPECIALLY DISTURBING WHEN THE
MEDIA ASSOCIATES THESE VIEWS DIRECTLY WITH THE UNITED
NATIONS. DOES MR. ZIEGLER SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THAT IF GM
FOODS ARE BANNED FROM FOOD AID THAT NO ONE WILL GO HUNGRY
WHEN NEARLY 70 PERCENT OF GLOBAL FOOD AID COMES FROM
COUNTRIES WHERE MAIZE AND SOY ARE VERY OFTEN GM AND 60 TO 70
PERCENT OF PROCESSED FOODS HAVE SOME BIOTECH CONTENT?

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST DISTURBING PUBLIC PRONOUNCEMENT BY MR.
ZIEGLER THAT HAS MADE IT HARDER RATHER THAN EASIER FOR WFP
TO HELP HUNGRY PEOPLE FULFILL THEIR RIGHT TO FOOD IN
EMERGENCIES. MY PREDECESSOR, CATHERINE BERTINI, WROTE TO
YOU EARLIER ABOUT HIS STATEMENTS PROMOTING THE IDEA THAT
FOOD AID WAS BEING DIVERTED TO THE MILITARY AND ENDORSING
THE WITHDRAWAL OF AID BY NGOS LIKE MSF FROM NORTH KOREA
BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT THERE REFUSED TO GRANT AID WORKERS
COMPLETE ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. WELL, WE AGREE THAT
FULL ACCESS MUST REMAIN THE SHARED GOAL OF ALL HUMANITARIAN
WORKERS IN THE DPRK, BUT PLAYING POLITICS WITH AID IS
PROFOUNDLY IMMORAL. TO WITHDRAW FOOD AID AND MEDICINE FROM

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5278

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ACTION IO-00

INFO LOG-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00
EUR-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00 MMP-00 NSAE-00
NSCE-00 OES-00 OIC-02 TEST-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 SAS-00
/004W
-------------- 0858CE 141345Z /38
P 141158Z NOV 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6909
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
USEU BRUSSELS 2953

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 005540

SIPDIS

FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

SENSITIVE
USUN FOR US REP TO ECOSOC AMBASSADOR SEN
USMISSION GENEVA FOR AMBASSADOR MOLEY
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS AND AA/DCHA WINTER
STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, ACTING A/S IO WOOD, IO/EDA WINNICK
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS
USEU BRUSSELS
NSC FOR JDWORKEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 05540 02 OF 02 141312Z
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EU WFP UN EUEAID WFP UN
SUBJECT: WFP ASKS SUPPORT OF SECRETARY GENERAL ANNAN TO
REMOVE JEAN ZIEGLER, UN SPECIAL REPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO
FOOD

NEEDY PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS OF ANY REGIME IS
UNCONSCIONABLE.

POLITICS CAN ASSIST OR IMPEDE EFFORTS TO SEE THAT PEOPLE
HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD. I WOULD SUBMIT THAT THE CLEARLY
INFLAMMATORY POLITICS PLAYED BY MR. ZIEGLER HAS HAD A
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THE HUNGRY - DONORS HAVE
CERTAINLY QUESTIONED WFP AFTER HIS INTERVENTIONS ON THE DPRK
AND SOUTHERN AFRICA.

IN FACT, AS YOU WELL KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE TROUBLE
RAISING RESOURCES FOR THE DPRK AND HAVE RECENTLY BEEN FORCED
TO CUT THE RATIONS OF 3 MILLION CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ANOTHER RELEASE
BY INTERPRESS SERVICE (ATTACHED). WHILE WE APPRECIATED HIS
COMPLIMENT TO WFP AND DO NOT DISAGREE WITH SEVERAL POINTS HE
MAKES, DOES MR. ZIEGLER BELIEVE THAT REPEATED PUBLIC
RAILINGS AGAINST THE BRETTON WOODS INSTITUTIONS AND
MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO COOPERATE
WITH THE UNITED NATIONS IN PROMOTING THE RIGHT TO FOOD? HIS
PUBLIC STATEMENTS AND THE REPORTS HE HAS SUBMITTED TO THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHOW A SERIOUS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF
ECONOMICS AND THE DETAILS OF THE FOOD SITUATION IN THE AREAS
HE PROFESSES TO ANALYZE ON BEHALF OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 05540 02 OF 02 141312Z
I HAVE COPIED THIS LETTER TO MR. SERGIO DE MELLO FOR HIS
CONSIDERATION. I HOPE YOU WILL GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO THE
POSSIBILITY OF DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE WITH HIM. THERE ARE SO
MANY TALENTED, RESPONSIBLE, AND HUMANE PEOPLE WHO COULD DO
AN EXCELLENT JOB AS THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO
FOOD. AT THE INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
AND AT MAJOR UNIVERSITIES, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF EXPERTS WHO
UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF FOOD SECURITY ISSUES AND WHOSE
CAREERS HAVE DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT - NOT TO PUBLICITY -
BUT TO FINDING SOLUTIONS TO THE CHRONIC HUNGER THAT STILL
AFFLICTS THE LIVES OF SO MANY OF THE WORLD'S POOR.
SINCERELY, JAMES MORRIS, WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR." END TEXT
OF WFP LETTER.


4. (U) NOTE: FOR PURPOSES OF THIS CABLE, THE NEWS REPORTS
REFERRED TO IN MORRIS' LETTER ARE NOT ATTACHED BUT WILL BE
FAXED OR E-MAILED BY USMISSION UPON REQUEST. END NOTE.

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COMMENT
--------------


5. (SBU) WFP'S ACTING DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JEAN JACQUES
GRAISSE REPORTEDLY MET INFORMALLY WITH UN HUMAN RIGHTS HIGH
COMMISSIONER VIEIRA DE MELLO ON THE ZIEGLER "PROBLEM." DE
MELLO REPORTEDLY EXPRESSED CONSIDERABLE EXASPERATION WITH
ZIEGLER SAYING THAT THE MAN HAD TAKEN UP HALF OF HIS (I.E.,
DE MELO'S) TIME SINCE ENTERING OFFICE, BUT BLAMING THE
MEMBER STATES FOR SELECTING HIM. USMISSION FULLY ENDORSES
THE POSITION TAKEN BY WFP'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STATE
REFTEL CITED ABOVE. HALL
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 05540 02 OF 02 141312Z

UNCLASSIFIED

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2002ROME05540 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED