TRIMISSION BIOTECH ACTION PLAN THROUGH JUNE 2003

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 ROME 000520

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE PASS USTR
NAIROBI FOR UNEP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD TBIO KSCA TSPL IT EUN
SUBJECT: TRIMISSION BIOTECH ACTION PLAN THROUGH JUNE 2003

REF: A. 02 ROME 5973


B. B)02 ROME 3965

C. C)02 ROME 6137


1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE; SEE PARA 12.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY. EMBASSY ROME, EMBASSY VATICAN, AND THE
U.S. MISSION TO U.N. AGENCIES IN ROME (FODAG) HAVE
ESTABLISHED THE FOLLOWING PRIORITIES FOR 2003:

--ADVANCE THE U.S.- EU TRADE AGENDA;

--MOVE THE GOI TOWARD SCIENCE-BASED POLICY FOUNDATIONS
AND DECISIONS, FOCUSING ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE.
HEAVY LIFTING FROM WASHINGTON REQUIRED. (SEE REF C.)

--CONTINUE "BOTTOM-UP" OUTREACH TO IMPROVE PUBLIC
ACCESS TO OBJECTIVE INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTECHNOLOGY,
PARTICULARLY AMONG FARMERS, THE MEDIA, AND CONSUMER GROUPS.

--DEEPEN SCIENTIFIC CONTACTS AND EXCHANGES, CREATING
FORA FOR VISITING U.S. SCIENTISTS TO ADDRESS PUBLIC CONCERNS
ABOUT THE SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY.
TIMELY OES SUPPORT IS NEEDED. (SEE PARA 12.)

-- SUPPORT BIOTECH ACTIVITIES IN ROME-BASED UN BASED AGENCIES
AND BLOCK ANTI-BIOTECH RESOLUTIONS IN UN POLICY MAKING
BODIES. ENCOURAGE THE UN TO TAKE A PRO-ACTIVE, SCIENCE-BASED
APPROACH.

-- EMPHASIZE THE BENEFITS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FROM WISE
USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, PARTICULARLY WITH ROME-BASED DIPLOMATS
ACCREDITED TO THE FAO AND THE VATICAN.

THIS CABLE OUTLINES SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES AND A TIMELINE. IT
ALSO INCLUDES 1) A REQUEST FOR EB FUNDING SUPPORT TO AUGMENT
LOCAL RESOURCES AND; 2) A REQUEST TO OES TO PROVIDE
DEPARTMENT CONCURRENCE AND FORMAL SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH
COLLABORATIONS WITH THE GOI IN SEVERAL ASPECTS OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY (SEE PARA 12). END SUMMARY.

SHARED TRI-MISSION GOALS
--------------


3. (SBU) THE PRINCIPAL GOALS OF THE TRI-MISSION
BIOTECHNOLOGY WORKING GROUP ARE TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO
INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN BIOTECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS AND TO PROMOTE
THE TECHNOLOGY AS A USEFUL TOOL IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT IN DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. FOR THE
BILATERAL MISSION, WE HAVE ANALYZED THE GOI POLITICAL STAKES,
PROSPECTS FOR PROGRESS, AND SUGGESTED DEPARTMENT ACTION IN 02
ROME 6137. THIS MESSAGE ACCORDINGLY FOCUSES ON FURTHERING
THESE GOALS WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.

SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD


4. (SBU) FODAG AND EMBASSY VATICAN LEAD THE ROME EFFORT TO
STRENGTHEN THE SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AND
ITS POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND
ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD. THE DIRECT VOICES
OF SCIENTISTS AND LEADERS FROM THE DEVELOPING WORLD ARE VITAL
IN HELPING TO PERSUADE A SKEPTICAL CATHOLIC CHURCH THAT
BIOTECHNOLOGY REPRESENTS PART OF THE PATHWAY TO A BETTER LIFE
IN SOME OF THE WORLD'S POOREST AND HUNGRIEST COUNTRIES. OUR
AIM IS TO HAVE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH PLAY A POSITIVE/PROACTIVE
ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY ON BEHALF OF THE
DEVELOPING WORLD.


5. (SBU) THE UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO) IS
RESPECTED AS A NEUTRAL, SCIENCE-BASED SOURCE OF INFORMATION
ON AGRICULTURE AND HAS CREDIBILITY THAT NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS
OR THE PRIVATE SECTOR MAY LACK. THE FAO'S FIELD PRESENCE IN
MOST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES GIVES IT AN ENORMOUS POTENTIAL FOR
OUTREACH. FURTHERMORE, MOST OF THE FAO'S MEMBER NATIONS
MAINTAIN PERMANENT MISSIONS IN ROME, MANY OF WHICH ARE
STAFFED WITH OFFICIALS WITH EXPERTISE IN AGRICULTURE AND/OR
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE. HOWEVER, FAO HAS NOT FULFILLED ITS
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE ITS MEMBER NATIONS STAKEHOLDERS
WITH ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON BIOTECHNOLOGY

ACTION STR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 EVG-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00
COME-00 CTME-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 ITCE-00 DOTE-00 WHA-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 DHS-00 OPIC-01 PER-00 PM-00
ACE-00 SP-00 SSO-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00
EPAE-00 ECA-00 PMB-00 DRL-01 G-00 SAS-00 /011W

P 071555Z FEB 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8141
USDA FAS WASHDC 2524
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY MEXICO
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMCONSUL FLORENCE
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMCONSUL NAPLES
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA