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