BIOTECH OUTREACH: GREEN REVOLUTION TO GENE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 002331

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USDA
USDA FOR FAS/FAA/AO/JWILSON
FAS/OA/DHEGWOOD
FAS/ITP/BOB MACKE
DEPT FOR IIP/G/EUR AND EUR/PPD

UNCLASSIFIED

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD TBIO KSCA TSPL OIIP ETRD TBIO KSCA TSPL OIIP IT PRC ITEAGR PRC
SUBJECT: BIOTECH OUTREACH: GREEN REVOLUTION TO GENE
REVOLUTION CONFERENCE IN BOLOGNA MAY 28-31


1. SUMMARY. WITH SUPPORT FROM PD, USAID AND USDA, MISSION
ITALY, AT THE INITIATIVE OF CONGEN FLORENCE, IS COSPONSORING
A FOUR DAY CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA MAY 28-31. HEADLINING THE PROGRAM IS
NOBEL PRIZE PRIZE WINNER NORMAN BORLAUG, AND SWISS SCIENTIST
INGO POTRYKUS, THE INVENTOR OF GOLDEN RICE. OTHER LEADING
AMERICAN SCIENTISTS INCLUDE ROGER BEACHY, FROM THE DANFORTH
FOUNDATION FOR PLANT SCIENCE, AND THREE SPEAKERS SPONSORED BY
PD: ALLISON SNOW FROM OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY; CAL QUALSET FROM
UC-DAVIS; AND RON PHILLIPS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.
THE SUPPORT OF USAID HAS MADE POSSIBLE THE PARTICIPATION OF
LEADING FIGURES FROM AFRICA, INDIA, THE PHILLIPINES,
KAZAKHSTAN, BRAZIL, AND MEXICO. THE LAST DAY AND A HALF OF
THE CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR
THE DEVELOPING WORLD AND ON EU AND ITALIAN VIEWS OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY. THE MINISTER FOR SCIENCE FROM SOUTH AFRICA
WILL SPEAK AT THE CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES
IN REDUCING HUNGER. MISSION ITALY CONSIDERS THIS CONFERENCE
AND THE ASSOCIATED EVENTS WE HAVE PLANNED WITH SNOW,
PHILLIPS, AND QUALSET IN UDINE, MILAN, TURIN, AND NAPLES TO
BE A INTEGRAL PART OF OUR SUPPORT FOR U.S. SCIENCE-BASED
POLICY ON BIOTECHNOLOGY. END SUMMARY.


2. THE ITALIAN SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY IN FAVOR OF AGRICULTURAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY IS SMALL, BUT INDEPENDENTLY MINDED, AND
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UNABASHEDLY VOCAL IN ITS SUPPORT OF A MORE SCIENCE-BASED
POLICY--SOMETHING STILL FAR FROM THE MINDS OF ITALIAN
POLICYMAKERS. WE TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN TO HIT HOME
FOUR OF THE SIX ELEMENTS PD HAS PROVIDED WITH THE ROLL-OUT OF
OUR REQUEST FOR WTO CONSULTATIONS ON THE EU MORATORIUM ON NEW
APPROVALS: THE SAFETY OF BIOTECH PRODUCTS; THEIR BENEFITS TO
THE ENVIRONMENT; THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTIVITY; AND THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF EU POLICIES ON THE
ADOPTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD.
SCIENTISTS ARE IN A GOOD POSITION TO SPEAK ON THSES ISSUES.


3. CONSULATES MILAN AND FLORENCE DREW THIS PLANNED PROGRAM TO
EMBASSY ATTENTION LATE LAST FALL, AND BY FEBRUARY EMBASSY HAD
AGREED TO UNDERTAKE SUPPORT OF THE CONFERENCE. PD WAS ABLE TO
SUPPORT THREE SPEAKERS, WHILE USDA AND USAID PROVIDED AN
ADDITIONAL USD 45,000 TO SUPPORT THE TRAVEL EXPENSES OF U.S.
AND DEVELOPING COUNTRY SPEAKERS. EMBASSY ESTCOUNS HAS WORKED
WITH THE UNIVERSITY IN SELECTING DEVELOPING COUNTRY SPEAKERS,
U.S. SPEAKERS, AND IN SHAPING THE POLICY-ORIENTED PARTS OF
THE PROGRAM, AND IN CONTACTING GOI OFFICIALS AND ITALIAN
PARLIAMENTARIANS. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE OTHER COSPONSORS-- FOR
EXAMPLE, THE BRITISH COUNCIL--OUR ROLE IN THE CONFERENCE
DESIGN HAS PROBABLY BEEN THE MORE IMPORTANT. OUR CONTACTS
WITH AFRICABIO, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS RESULTED IN THE
PARTICIPATION OF THE MINISTER FOR SCIENCE FROM SOUTH AFRICA
IN THE CONFERENCE.


4. IN SELECTING THE SPEAKERS WE WISHED TO SPONSOR, WE LOOKED
AT THE MOST PROBABLE REMAINING SCIENTIFIC DISPUTE ABOUT
AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY--LONG TERM EFFECTS ON
BIODIVERSITY, OR IN EU-SPEAK, COEXISTENCE. THIS IS AN
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ESPECIALLY SALIENT ISSUE FOR ITALIAN FARMERS, WHO HAVE BEEN
TOLD REPEATEDLY BY THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE THAT THE
MARKET FOR THEIR HIGH VALUE GEOGRAPHICALLY DENOMINATED OR
"TYPICAL PRODUCTS" COULD BE ENDANGERED BY "CONTAMINATION"
FROM BIOTECH CROPS AND VARIETIES. ACCORDINGLY,WE INVITED
ECOLOGIST ALLISON SNOW FROM OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY TO ADDRESS
NAPLES. PROFESSOR SNOW IS KNOWN INTERNATIONALLY FOR HER GENE
FLOW STUDIES INVOLVING BIOTECH VARIETIES. ACCORDINGLY, WE
INVITED ECOLOGIST ALLISON SNOW FROM OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY TO
ADDRESS A TWO-DAY CONFERENCE ON BIOTECHNOLOGY IN NAPLES, MAY
27-28, SPONSORED BY THE CAMPANIE REGION AND THE NATIONAL
FARMERS ASSOCIATION. KEY INTERLOCUTORS IN THE ITALIAN
BIOTECH DEBATE WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE CONFERENCE,
INCLUDING THE ITALIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTER. PROFESSOR SNOW
IS KNOWN INTERNATIONALLY FOR HER GENE FLOW STUDIES INVOLVING
BIOTECH VAIRETIES AND POST RECOGNIZED AN IMPORTANT
OPPORTUNITY TO INSERT SNOW'S EXPERTISE INTO THE PROGRAM
AGENDA. SHE WILL BE THE ONLY AMERICAN PRESENTER IN THE
NAPLES SPEAKER LINE-UP. FOR THE SAME REASONS, WE INVITED
WHEAT BREEDER AND PROFESSOR EMERITUS CALVIN QUALSET (U. OF
CALIFORNIA DAVIS) TO GIVE A PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
UDINE IN THE NORTHEAST AND MOST ANTI BIOTECH CORNER OF ITALY
NEAR THE AUSTRIAN BORDER. IN ADDITION TO HIS CREDENTIALS AS
A PLANT BREEDER, PROFESSOR QUALSET FOUNDED THE GENETIC
RESOURCES CONSERVATION PROGRAM IN CALIFORNIA. OUR THIRD
SPEAKER, REGENTS AND MCKNIGHT PROFESSOR OF GENOMICS RON
PHILLIPS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. IS A SPECIALIST IN

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ACTION IIP-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 A-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 COME-00
CTME-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 ITCE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00
EB-00 EXME-00 EUR-00 E-00 FAAE-00 UTED-00 VC-00
FRB-00 HHS-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 ITC-01
L-00 VCE-00 NASA-01 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00
OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 EPAU-00 PM-00 ACE-00 SCT-00
SP-00 SSO-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00
PMB-00 PRM-00 DRL-01 G-00 SAS-00 /011W
-------------- 6BA97C 280807Z /38
P 280807Z MAY 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0109
INFO ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
EU CANDIDATE STATES COLLECTIVE
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
USDA FAS WASHDC 2682

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 002331

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USDA
USDA FOR FAS/FAA/AO/JWILSON
FAS/OA/DHEGWOOD
FAS/ITP/BOB MACKE
DEPT FOR IIP/G/EUR AND EUR/PPD

E.O. 12958: N/A
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 02331 02 OF 02 280807Z
TAGS: EAGR ETRD TBIO KSCA TSPL OIIP ETRD TBIO KSCA TSPL OIIP IT PRC ITEAGR PRC
SUBJECT: BIOTECH OUTREACH: GREEN REVOLUTION TO GENE
REVOLUTION CONFERENCE IN BOLOGNA MAY 28-31

MAIZE GENOME MAPPING, BUT ALSO HAS STRONG BIOTECHNOLOGY
CREDENTIALS. PROFESSOR PHILLIPS WILL BE SPEAKING AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF TURIN AND AT MILAN UNIVERSITY. IN OTHER WORDS,
WE WILL USE OUR SPEAKERS TO REACH AUDIENCES NATIONALLY.


5. WE EXPECT THE CONFERENCE ITSELF, TO BE HELD OUTSIDE THE
CENTER OF BOLOGNA AT THE NEW UNIVERSITY BIOTECHNOLOGY CAMPUS,
WILL DRAW PRINCIPALLY AN AUDIENCE OF RESEARCHERS, BUT WE HAVE
TARGETED WITH THER ORGANIZERS A HANDFUL OF ITALY'S BEST
SCIENCE JOURNALISTS TO COVER BIOTECHNOLOGY. WE EXPECT THE MAY
28 OPENING SESSION, WITH KEYNOTES BY NORMAN BORLAUG AND
MONKOMBU SWAMINATHAN, TO BE WELL ATTENDED AND COVERED, AND
BELIEVE THE FRIDAY MAY 30 SESSIONS ON BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR
SUSTAINABILTY AND FOOD SECURITY AND TRANSGENIC CROPS FOR
BIOFARMING AND ENHANCED NUTRITION WILL BE WELL ATTENDED. ON
SATURDAY, MAY 31 THERE WILL BE APANEL DISCUSSION LED BY THE
EUROPEAN COMMISSION ON PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE EUROPEAN
UNION, AND A DISCUSSION ON GMOS AND THE FOOD CHAIN IN ITALY.
WE EXPECT PRESS ATTENTION TO THE WTO CONSULTATIONS REQUEST
DURING THESE SESSIONS AND PD HAS PREPARED MATERIALS IN
ITALIAN FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE PRESS. EMBASSY ESTCOUNS WILL
ATTEND THE ENTIRE BOLOGNA CONFERENCE AND WILL WORK CLOSELY
WITH PD TO GET OUR MESSAGE OUT.


6. FULL DETAILS ON THE CONFERENCE CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP://
WWW.AVENUEMEDIA.IT/LINKCONG/GREEN-GENE.HTML. EMBASSY THANKS
DEPARTMENT PD OFFICES, US AID, AND USDA FOR THEIR FINANCIAL
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AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT OF THIS CONFERENCE.
SKODON

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2003ROME02331 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED