AG-BIOTECH: GETTING THE VATICAN TO "YES."

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VATICAN 002268 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI),EB (GADSDEN),EUR/PD/PA (HILTON) STATE PASS TO USDA FAS WASHDC E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2012 TAGS: PREL PHUM EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO PHUM EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO PHUM EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO VT VTPREL VTPREL SUBJECT: AG-BIOTECH: GETTING THE VATICAN TO "YES." CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B),(D) . ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: BECAUSE OF THE VATICAN'S MORAL AUTHORITY, IT CAN INFLUENCE GOVERNMENTS' SOCIAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL POLICIES. PERSUADING THE VATICAN TO COME OUT MORE FORTHRIGHTLY IN FAVOR OF GMOS IN THE CONTEXT OF CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 02268 01 OF 03 100539Z AGRICULTURE IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD COULD INFLUENCE DECISION MAKERS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND WOULD UNDERCUT ANTI-GMO EUROPEAN ACTIVISTS' ARGUMENTS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO GMO-HOSTILE EU AND EU-MEMBER STATES' POLICIES. VATICAN DECISION MAKERS BELIEVE BIOTECHNOLOGY IS PROMISING, BUT THEY COUNSEL CAUTION AND PATIENCE BECAUSE OF UNKNOWN RISKS. KEY TO MOVING THE VATICAN POSITION ON BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GMOS IS UNDERSTANDING ITS PEOPLE AND ITS FOREIGN POLICY LEITMOTIF: "THE TRUE GOOD OF THE HUMAN PERSON." BEFORE VATICAN DECISION MAKERS WILL PROMOTE BIOTECH, THEY WILL WANT TO SEE ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS, AND SOCIAL AND CONSUMER CONCERNS ADDRESSED. THE VATICAN NEEDS CONVINCING THAT BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GMOS ARE FOR TODAY, AND THAT THE BEST SCIENCE DOVETAILS WITH ITS LEITMOTIF. ¶2. (SBU) WORKING WITH EMBASSY ROME BIOTECH ACTION GROUP, EMBASSY VATICAN IS MAKING THIS ISSUE A FOCUSED PRIORITY OF OUR ACTIVITIES DURING THE COMING MONTHS. BUILDING ON OUR PREVIOUS EFFORTS (E.G. AMBASSADOR HOSTED DINNER FOR GMO EXPERT C.C. PRAKASH),WE WILL FOCUS ON BRINGING IN U.S. EXPERTS FOR CONSULTATIONS, NOMINATING A VATICAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL FOR THE INTERNATIONAL VISITORS PROGRAM, PROPOSING ACTIVITIES ON THE MARGINS OF THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT IN JUNE, AND HOSTING A VISIT TO INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH STATIONS FOR VATICAN EXPERTS LATER IN 2002. WE HAVE A GOOD WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO PRESS THE VATICAN ON THIS WITH THE NEW CONVERGENCE BETWEEN IT AND THE USG ON THE FLIP SIDE OF AGRICULTURAL BIOTECH -- HUMAN CLONING. END SUMMARY. -------------- VATICAN ON BIOTECH: "YES, BUT.." CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 02268 01 OF 03 100539Z -------------- ¶3. (U) ARTICLES IN "LA CIVILITA CATTOLICA," A SEMI-OFFICIAL VATICAN PUBLICATION, ARE VETTED BY THE VATICAN'S SECRETARIAT OF STATE BEFORE PUBLISHING. THEY TEND TO REFLECT CURRENT VATICAN POLICY AND PREOCCUPATIONS. JESUIT PRIEST AND FORMER PROFESSOR OF HUMAN GENETICS IN THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE AT GEMELLI CLINIC, ANGELO SERRA, RECENTLY WROTE AN ASSESSMENT OF PLANT AND ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR "LA CIVILTA CATTOLICA." SERRA'S ARTICLE OFFERS INSIGHTS ON VATICAN THINKING ON SEVERAL ASPECTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATION, AND FORMULATES "NEW OBLIGATIONS" FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY. ¶4. (U) THE ARTICLE LAUDS COLLABORATION BETWEEN SCIENTISTS, REGULATORS, FARMERS AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS (PARTICULARLY IN THE U.S.) AS A SOURCE OF CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN GMO'S, SERRA DEDICATES THE GREATER PART OF HIS ARTICLE TO THE "RISKS" OF BIOTECHNOLOGY. FIRSTLY, FOOD AND HEALTH SECURITY RISKS: THE INCREASE IN ALLERGIES, RESISTANCE TO ANTIBIOTICS AND OF MOST CONCERN, ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE. THE U.S. IS SINGLED OUT FOR BEING TOO BLITHE TOWARDS RISK ASSESSMENT, BUT SERRA ALSO CRITICIZES THE SOMETIMES-IRRATIONAL OPPOSITION OF ANTI-GM ORGANIZATIONS. SECONDLY, SERRA SOLICITS GREATER CONSIDERATION OF THE RISKS TO BIODIVERSITY, GIVING EXAMPLES OF COUNTRIES LIKE ITALY AND INDIA THAT PRODUCE MOST OF THEIR FOOD FROM 10 OR SO STRAINS OF RICE, GRAIN AND CORN. SERRA CALLS FOR ATTENTIVE AND DETAILED OBSERVATION OF AREAS WHERE GMO ORGANISMS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO AVOID THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY THAT MAY IN TURN ADVERSELY AFFECT HUMAN BEINGS. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 VATICA 02268 01 OF 03 100539Z ¶5. (U) SERRA'S THIRD "RISK" DEALS WITH THE SOCIAL REPERCUSSIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, PARTICULARLY ECONOMICS AND EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION. HE QUOTES FIGURES THAT PUT 81 PERCENT OF THE GLOBAL AGROCHEMICAL MARKET AND 37 PERCENT OF THE GLOBAL SEED MARKET IN THE HANDS OF TEN COMPANIES. SERRA LAMENTS THE PRODUCTION OF STERILE PATENTED SEEDS BECAUSE IT CONCENTRATES GREAT WEALTH IN A FEW HANDS AND THREATENS THE SURVIVAL OF THE POOREST. HE CALLS FOR STRATEGIES THAT ENSURE AN EQUITABLE ECONOMIC "EVENING OUT" THAT FAVOR THE POOREST. ¶6. (U) SERRA CONCLUDES BY DESCRIBING PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY'S GOAL AS "THE PERFECT", THE MEANS USED BY GENETIC ENGINEERING TO REACH THIS GOAL AS "EXTRAORDINARY," THE RESULTS AS "PROMISING," BUT THAT ITS CONSEQUENCES NEED ACCURATE ETHICAL REFLECTION. (NOTE: SERRA'S VIEWS TRACK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE VIEWS WE HAVE HEARD BOTH PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY FROM KEY VATICAN INTERLOCUTORS IN THIS DISCUSSION, E.G., BISHOP SGRECCIA AND ARCHBISHOP MARCHETTO END NOTE.) -------------- -------------- WHO'S WHO ON GMOS IN THE VATICAN; WHERE THEY STAND -------------- -------------- CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ5424 PAGE 01 VATICA 02268 02 OF 03 100540Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 EVG-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 INL-00 DODE-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 E-00 VC-00 HHS-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 MED-07 NSAE-00 OES-01 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 EPAE-00 ECA-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 SAS-00 /011W -------------- AC8E02 100540Z /38 O 100521Z MAY 02 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 VATICAN 002268 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI),EB (GADSDEN),EUR/PD/PA (HILTON) STATE PASS TO USDA FAS WASHDC E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2012 TAGS: PREL PHUM EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO PHUM EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO PHUM EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO VT VTPREL VTPREL SUBJECT: AG-BIOTECH: GETTING THE VATICAN TO "YES." ¶7. (C) GENERALLY POSITIVE: BISHOP ELIO SGRECCIA, VICE PRESIDENT, PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE. SGRECCIA IS THE TOP VATICAN ETHICIST SPECIALIZING IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, MEDICAL ETHICS, HEALTH AND FAMILY ISSUES. HIS APPROACH TO BIOTECHNOLOGY IS ONE OF CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM - THE THEORETICAL BENEFITS NEED TO BE BALANCED BY ADEQUATE RESEARCH AND PATIENT OBSERVATION. LIKE ALL VATICAN OFFICIALS HE LOOKS TO THE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 02268 02 OF 03 100540Z SECRETARIAT OF STATE FOR GUIDANCE AND PERMISSION TO UNDERTAKE SIPDIS BIOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES. THE ACADEMY FOR LIFE HAS PUBLISHED THE VATICAN'S CLEAREST POSITION TO DATE ON BIOTECHNOLOGY. SGRECCIA WAS EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF AN EMBASSY INITIATIVE THAT BROUGHT U.S. BIOTECHNOLOGIST, C.S. PRAKASH, AND VATICAN SCIENTISTS TOGETHER FOR A ROUND TABLE IN 2001. AT A RECENT LUNCH, SGRECCIA TOLD DCM THAT HE LOOKED FORWARD TO WORKING WITH US ON THIS ISSUE. ¶8. (C) GENERALLY NEGATIVE: ARCHBISHOP AGOSTINO MARCHETTO, PERMANENT OBSERVER, FAO, ROME, AND SINCE NOVEMBER 2001 SECRETARY OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF SIPDIS MIGRANTS AND ITINERANTS. HE ENTERED THE HOLY SEE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE IN 1968, AND SERVED IN A NUMBER OF SUB-SAHARAN NUNCIATURES. MARCHETTO IS THE CLASSIC EUROPEAN BIOTECHNOLOGY SKEPTIC. HIS POSITION APPEARS BASED MORE ON POPULAR PERCEPTIONS OF GMOS THAN ON GOOD SCIENCE. HE RELISHES PLAYING THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE AND CONCENTRATING ON THE "WHAT IFS." YET, LIKE THE REST OF THE HOLY SEE, HIS PRIMARY MOTIVATION IS SERVING HUMANITY. IF HE CAN BE PERSUADED THAT GMOS PRESENT A NET BENEFIT, HE WOULD BE A POWERFUL ADVOCATE FOR THEM. ¶9. (C) GENERALLY POSITIVE: ARCHBISHOP DIARMUID MARTIN, PERMANENT OBSERVER, UN OFFICES AND SPECIALIST AGENCIES, GENEVA. MARTIN, A FORMER IV VISITOR, IS NOT A PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED VATICAN DIPLOMAT AND THUS UNTAINTED BY THE PALL OF "SUPER CAUTION." HE CALLS A SPADE A SPADE AND APPRECIATES GOOD SCIENCE. HE WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT ALLY ON THE BIOTECH INTERNATIONAL PLAYING FIELD. HIS REPUTATION IN WORLD TRADE AND MONETARY CIRCLES IS HIGH, MAKING HIM POTENTIALLY INFLUENTIAL WITH DEVELOPING NATIONS. MARTIN'S FOCUS ON HUMAN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 02268 02 OF 03 100540Z RIGHTS ISSUES IN GENEVA COULD BE AN ENTRY POINT FOR THE PROMOTION OF BIOTECH BENEFITS. ¶10. (C) GENERALLY POSITIVE: MONSIGNOR CELESTINO MIGLIORE, DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER. MIGLIORE WILL LIKELY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR GIVING THE WORKING LEVEL "OK" TO MOST BIOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES. AS IS MARTIN, MIGLIORE IS PRAGMATIC AND STRAIGHTFORWARD. ONE OF THE EMBASSY'S MOST ACCESSIBLE HIGH-LEVEL INTERLOCUTORS, WE CAN EXPECT HIM TO BE REASONABLE. HE HAS FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE OF THE PROBLEMS CAUSED IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BY MALNUTRITION AND CROP FAILURE. HE SERVED AT THE NUNCIATURE IN WASHINGTON DURING THE 1990S AND WOULD BE OPEN TO THE BENEFITS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, BUT HE WOULD ALSO INSIST ON ADEQUATE PRECAUTIONS BEFORE GIVING HIS "NULLA OSTA". (NOTE: IT IS CLASSIC VATICAN STRATEGY TO NOT MAKE A MOVE BEFORE RECEIVING PERMISSION -- THE "NULLA OSTA" -- FROM ONE'S SUPERIORS. THIS STIFLES INITIATIVE AND GIVES UNDUE EMPHASIS TO THE CAUTIONARY APPROACH. THIS APPLIES TO ALL OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED PERSONS. END NOTE.) -------------- GETTING THEM TO PLAY ON OUR TEAM -------------- ¶11. (SBU) THE VATICAN IS POTENTIALLY A VALUABLE ALLY IN THE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY EFFORT TO PROMOTE BROADER ACCEPTANCE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GMOS AMONG OUR KEY TRADING PARTNERS. ITS MORAL CLOUT STILL INFLUENCES MANY NATIONS IN THE EU, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD, WHERE, IN CERTAIN INSTANCES, INDIVIDUAL CLERGY ANTAGONISTIC TO PROFIT-MAKING MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS HELP BEAT THE ANTI-GMO DRUMS. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 VATICA 02268 02 OF 03 100540Z VATICAN BACKING FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GMOS AS A MEANS TO FEED THE WORLD'S POOR WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON CHANGING THE GENERALLY FEARFUL EUROPEAN MINDSET BY UNDERCUTTING A KEY RATIONALE OF ANTI-BIOTECH ACTIVISTS (THAT U.S. COMPANIES WILL DISPLACE TRADITIONAL METHODS OF AGRICULTURE ACROSS THE WORLD). POST'S EFFORTS TO EXPOSE VATICAN PROTAGONISTS TO THE SCIENCE HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY SUCCESSFUL. FOR EXAMPLE, IN JULY 2001 WE ORGANIZED A PANEL DISCUSSION BETWEEN VISITING GMO EXPERT C.S. PRAKASH OF TUSKEEGEE UNIVERSITY AND MEMBERS OF THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY OF THE SCIENCES (PAS) AND THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE (PAL). AMBASSADOR FOLLOWED THAT WITH A DINNER IHO DR. PRAKASH IN FEBRUARY 2002, ATTENDED BY VATICAN FM TAURAN AND SEVERAL SENIOR VATICAN OFFICIALS. ¶12. (SBU) EMBASSY VATICAN IS BUILDING ON THIS FOUNDATION FOLLOWING OUR BIOTECHNOLOGY ACTION PLAN WORKED IN COORDINATION WITH EMBASSY ROME AND THE US MISSION TO THE UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL AGENCIES. OUR PART OF THE PLAN ENVISAGES: -- AMBASSADOR REGULARLY REMARKING ON GMO POTENTIAL FOR PROMOTING DEVELOPING WORLD FOOD SECURITY DURING HIS VATICAN-RELATED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENGAGEMENTS (E.G. HIS CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ5425 PAGE 01 VATICA 02268 03 OF 03 100540Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 EVG-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 INL-00 DODE-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 E-00 VC-00 HHS-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 MED-07 NSAE-00 OES-01 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 EPAE-00 ECA-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 SAS-00 /011W -------------- AC8E05 100540Z /38 O 100521Z MAY 02 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 VATICAN 002268 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI),EB (GADSDEN),EUR/PD/PA (HILTON) STATE PASS TO USDA FAS WASHDC E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2012 TAGS: PREL PHUM EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO PHUM EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO PHUM EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO VT VTPREL VTPREL SUBJECT: AG-BIOTECH: GETTING THE VATICAN TO "YES." APRIL 5 PARTICIPATION ON A PANEL DISCUSSING GLOBALIZATION); -- A VATICAN-RELATED DINNER OR OTHER MEETING WE WISH TO PROPOSE FOR AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VENEMAN AND/OR U/S AL LARSON ON THE MARGINS OF THE JUNE 10-13 WORLD FOOD SUMMIT; -- FURTHER U.S. EXPERT VISITS (BOTH USG AND PRIVATE) TO DISCUSS BENEFITS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION OF BIOTECH CROPS AND RESULTS OF MOST RECENT SCIENTIFIC STUDIES; CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 02268 03 OF 03 100540Z -- NOMINATING A VATICAN FOREIGN MINISTRY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST FOR A U.S. INTERNATIONAL VISITORS VISIT FOCUSED ON BIOTECHNOLOGY; -- AMBASSADOR LEADING A PARTY OF VATICAN OFFICIALS TO TWO DIFFERENT INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH STATIONS: THE IRRI IN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE CYMMT IN MEXICO, IN A PROJECT COORDINATED WITH EMBASSY ROME FAS. (NOTE: WE HAVE ALREADY RAISED THIS IDEA AT THE MFA WORKING LEVEL, AND THEY ARE ENTHUSIASTIC). ¶13. (U) THIS CABLE WAS CLEARED WITH FODAG AND EMBASSY ROME. NICHOLSON CONFIDENTIAL > 2002VATICA02268 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL