HOLY SEE FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN PLEDGES TO CLARIFY HOLY SEE'S POSITION ON BIOTECH FOODS IN ZAMBIA AND SOUTHERN AFRICA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000402

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EUR/WE-MENNUTI, EB, AND AF/S

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID PREL VT EAID PREL VT ZA ZAEAGR
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN PLEDGES TO
CLARIFY HOLY SEE'S POSITION ON BIOTECH FOODS IN ZAMBIA AND
SOUTHERN AFRICA

REF: A. A) 02 VATICAN 6141 B) 02 VATICAN 5625


B. C) 02 VATICAN 4909

C. D) 02 VATICAN 4361

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SUMMARY
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1. HOLY SEE FOREIGN MINISTER ARCHBISHOP JEAN-LOUIS TAURAN
CALLED IN AMBASSADOR JANUARY 21 TO SHARE THE RESULTS OF THE
VATICAN NUNCIO IN ZAMBIA'S ASSESSMENT OF THE FAMINE AND THE
DEBATE IN ZAMBIA OVER BIOTECH RELIEF FOOD. TAURAN HAD
PREVIOUSLY PROMISED THE AMBASSADOR "GOOD NEWS" ON THE
SUBJECT. TO THIS END, HE HIGHLIGHTED THE HOLY SEE'S EARLY
CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMELIORATE THE FAMINE THROUGH THE ACTIVITIES
OF CARITAS AND LOCAL CHURCHES. TAURAN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE
ANTI-BIOTECH VIEWS OF THE JESUIT ACTIVIST FATHER HENRIOT HAD
BECOME WIDELY REGARDED AS THE VIEW OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN
ZAMBIA, AND PROMISED THE AMBASSADOR THAT THE HOLY SEE WOULD
ENSURE THAT ITS GENERALLY PRO-BIOTECH VIEWS WERE PROVIDED TO
THE ZAMBIAN CONFERENCE OF BISHOPS. THE HOLY SEE'S VIEW, AS
OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO SECRETARY POWELL LAST YEAR (REF C) IS
THAT BIOTECH FOODS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO POPULATIONS IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE CAUTION
COMPARABLE TO THOSE FOR PHARMACEUTICAL GOODS. THE HOLY SEE
WILL ALSO ENCOURAGE THE BISHOPS AND, IF THEY ARE RELUCTANT,
THE NUNCIO, TO SPEAK OUT MORE DIRECTLY ON THE SUBJECT. A
RECENT EMBASSY-ORGANIZED CONFERENCE WITH A GROUP OF AFRICAN
FARMERS AND BIOTECH EXPERTS -- INCLUDING ZAMBIA -- (SEPTEL)
HELPED MAKE THE CASE TO KEY HOLY SEE OFFICES OF THE SAFETY
AND POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF BIOTECH FOODS FOR AFRICA. END
SUMMARY.

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THE "GOOD NEWS" COULD BE BETTER
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UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 VATICA 00402 01 OF 02 030858Z

2. ARCHBISHOP TAURAN MET WITH AMBASSADOR AND DCM JANUARY 21
TO FOLLOW UP ON HIS PLEDGE TO LOOK INTO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S
ROLE IN RESPONDING TO THE FAMINE IN ZAMBIA AND OTHER AFFECTED
AREAS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA. AT THE OUTSET, TAURAN SOUGHT TO
MAKE CLEAR THAT THE HOLY SEE AND ITS AFFILIATED AGENCIES HAD
BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES OF INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO RESPOND.
FROM FEBRUARY 2002, HE NOTED, THE POPE HAD DONATED $30,000
FROM HIS (MODEST) PAPAL FUND FOR GLOBAL RELIEF EFFORTS, AND,
MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, CARITAS HAD MOBILIZED ITS RESOURCES EARLY
AND HAD BEEN PLAYED AN IMPORTANT HUMANITARIAN ROLE THROUGHOUT
THE FAMINE PERIOD. HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE LOCAL CHURCHES HAD
BEEN ACTIVE ON THE GROUND IN PROVIDING ASSISTANCE.


3. ACCORDING TO THE NUNCIO, THE HOLY SEE WAS INFORMED THAT
THE ZAMBIAN MAIZE CROP SHORTFALL HAD "NOT YET HAD SERIOUS
EFFECTS, THANKS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF OTHER FOODS IN THE
COUNTRY." THE NUNCIO FURTHER MAINTAINED THAT GM FOODS WERE
NOT INDISPENSABLE TO MEET THE PROBLEM, AS THERE WERE ONLY
15,000 TONS OF GM MAIZE IN DEPOSIT AT THE CATHOLIC RELIEF
SERVICES HEADQUARTERS IN ZAMBIA, WHILE THE GOVERNMENT HAS
100,000 TONS OF NON-GM MAIZE IN RESERVE AND IS FINDING OTHER
SOURCES. THE NUNCIO OPINED THAT THE SITUATION "WILL PROBABLY
NOT GET WORSE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS."

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A PLEDGE TO CLARIFY THE HOLY SEE'S POSITION
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4. TAURAN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT JESUIT ACTIVIST FATHER HENRIOT
HAD UNFORTUNATELY SHAPED THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE
CHURCH'S VIEW IN ZAMBIA. THIS RESULTED, HE SAID, FROM A
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PAGE 04 VATICA 00402 01 OF 02 030858Z
COMBINATION OF HENRIOT'S PERSONAL ACTIVISM AND THE SILENCE OF
THE ZAMBIAN CONFERENCE OF BISHOPS, WHO HAVE MADE NO OFFICIAL
STATEMENT OF THE ADVISABILITY OF ACCEPTING BIOTECH FOODS.
CONSEQUENTLY, THE NUNCIO REPORTED THAT "THE POSITION OF THE
JESUIT CENTER IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE POSITION OF THE
CHURCH." THE JESUIT'S POSITION, WHICH HAS UNFORTUNATELY
HELPED FRAME THE DEBATE OVER BIOTECH FOODS IN ZAMBIA AND
WHICH MUST NOW BE OVERCOME WITH NEW INFORMATION, WAS
SUMMARIZED BY THE NUNCIO IN HIS REPORT AS FOLLOWS:

- THE SAFETY OF THESE FOODS IS STILL UNDER STUDY;

- THE CONSUMPTION OF GM FOODS IN THE U.S. IS INTEGRATED IN
THE CONSUMPTION OF ALL FOODS, WHEREAS IN ZAMBIA IT WOULD BE
THE ONLY TYPE OF FOOD CONSUMED, WHICH "WOULD WEIGH UPON THE
DETERMINATION OF ITS SAFETY);

- ZAMBIA IS RESOLVING THE PROBLEM BY IMPORTING
NON-GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS AND IS EDUCATING ITS PEOPLE TO
DIVERSIFY ITS EATING HABITS;

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ4513

PAGE 01 VATICA 00402 02 OF 02 030859Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00
USNW-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 UTED-00 VC-00
TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NSAE-00 PER-00 TEST-00
DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-01 SAS-00 /002W
-------------- 2FD976 030859Z /38
P 030822Z FEB 03
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO AMEMBASSY LUSAKA PRIORITY
SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 000402

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EUR/WE-MENNUTI, EB, AND AF/S

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID PREL VT EAID PREL VT ZA ZAEAGR
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN PLEDGES TO
CLARIFY HOLY SEE'S POSITION ON BIOTECH FOODS IN ZAMBIA AND
SOUTHERN AFRICA

- THE GMO'S COMING FROM THE U.S. ARE NOT IDENTIFIED AS SUCH,
SINCE THE POLICY OF THE U.S. DOES NOT REQUIRE IT. HOWEVER
THE CONSUMER HAS THE RIGHT TO KNOW;

- THE REASON FOR THE U.S. PRESSURE IN THIS MATTER IS BECAUSE
THERE IS A SURPLUS OF GMO.
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 VATICA 00402 02 OF 02 030859Z


5. IN LIGHT OF THESE POSITIONS, TAURAN AGREED WITH THE
AMBASSADOR ON THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE HOLY SEE'S MORE
BALANCED POSITION WAS WIDELY DISSEMINATED IN THE COUNTRY AND
REGIONS. HE PROMISED TO ENSURE THE RESULTS OF THE PONTIFICAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE'S POSITION -- WHICH SEES NO REASON FOR
REJECTION OF BIOTECH FOODS AND THEY SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO
DEVELOPING COUNTRY POPULATIONS AS LONG AS THE PRECAUTIONARY
PRINCIPAL IS OBSERVED (AS IT IS WITH PHARMACEUTICALS) -- ARE
PROVIDED TO ALL THE BISHOPS. THE HOLY SEE WOULD THEN
ENCOURAGE THE BISHOPS TO ISSUE A STATEMENT AND DISSEMINATE
THE WORD IN THEIR CHURCHES. TAURAN ADDED THAT IF THE BISHOPS
FAILED TO DO SO -- WHICH IS POSSIBLE GIVEN THAT THE HOLY SEE
CANNOT ORDER BISHOPS TO TAKE SPECIFIC STANDS ON POLITICAL
ISSUES -- HE WOULD HAVE THE NUNCIO TAKE STEPS TO GET THE HOLY
SEE'S POSITION OUT.


6. THE AMBASSADOR THANKED TAURAN FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO
ENSURE THE HOLY SEE'S POSITION WAS DISSEMINATED MORE WIDELY
IN ZAMBIA AND THE REST OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, BUT STRESSED THE
IMPORTANCE OF MOVING QUICKLY GIVEN THE STILL PRESENT THREAT
OF FAMINE IN THE COUNTRY. WHILE THE AMBASSADOR RECOGNIZED
THAT THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM HAD TAKEN STEPS TO WORK AROUND
THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT'S REJECTION OF U.S. AID, THE
AMBASSADOR STRESSED THE INCREASED COSTS AND TIME THIS HAD
IMPOSED ON THE RELIEF EFFORT. HE ALSO NOTED THAT OUR
INFORMATION WAS NOT AS SANGUINE AS THAT PRESENTED BY THE
NUNCIO, ALTHOUGH FOOD NOW APPEARED TO BE IN THE PIPELINE.
BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE SITUATION, HOWEVER, THE AMBASSADOR
POINTED OUT THAT THE ZAMBIAN DECISION REPRESENTED A NEGATIVE
PRECEDENT WITH POTENTIALLY SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR BROADER
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PAGE 03 VATICA 00402 02 OF 02 030859Z
AFRICAN RELIEF IF MORE COUNTRIES BEGAN FOLLOWING ZAMBIA'S
LEAD AND REJECTED U.S. FOOD. GIVEN THAT THE U.S. PROVIDES
OVER 60 PERCENT OF ALL RELIEF FOOD TO THE REGION, THE
AMBASSADOR NOTED, SUCH RESTRICTIONS WOULD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HE WFP TO MEET ITS DEMANDS). TAURAN AGREED THAT SUCH A
PRECEDENT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE, AND CONTRARY TO EFFORTS TO
FEED THOSE IN NEED.

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COMMENT
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7. THE HOLY SEE'S RESPONSE ON THIS ISSUE, ABOUT WHICH THE
EMBASSY HAS BEEN PRESSING SINCE EARLY FALL, HAS BEEN SLOW IN
COMING. NEVERTHELESS, WE HAVE HEARD FROM SOURCES WITHIN THE
HOLY SEE THAT OUR REPEATED INTERVENTIONS -- RECENTLY
REINFORCED BY OUR CANADIAN AND ARGENTINEAN DIPLOMATIC
COLLEAGUES -- HAS GOTTEN THE HOLY SEE'S ATTENTION AND LED TO
MOVEMENT ON THE ISSUE. SIGNIFICANTLY, THE POPE MADE TWO
REFERENCES TO FAMINE IN AFRICA IN HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THE
DIPLOMATIC CORPS, REINFORCING THE FOCUS THE ISSUE IS NOW
RECEDING. THIS GROWING INTEREST WAS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE
BROAD VATICAN PARTICIPATION AT AN EMBASSY-SPONSORED
CONFERENCE JANUARY 27 ON BIOTECH IN AFRICA, WHICH WAS
ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SECRETARIAT OF STATE, THE
COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, COR UNUM (RESPONSIBLE FOR
HUMANITARIAN WORK),THE JESUIT DIRECTORS FOR AFRICA AND THE
U.S., THE CARITAS CATHOLIC RELIEF AGENCY, THE SANT EGIDIO
COMMUNITY, AND MEMBERS OF THE HOLY SEE DIPLOMATIC CORPS.
EMBASSY LUSAKA'S PRESSURE HAS ALSO BEEN HELPFUL IN RAISING
THE HOLY SEE'S APPRECIATION OF THE ISSUE, AND WE WOULD URGE
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PAGE 04 VATICA 00402 02 OF 02 030859Z
THAT THIS BE CONTINUED IN LIGHT OF THE NUNCIO'S POSITIVE
REPORT TO THE VATICAN ABOUT THE EMBASSY'S EFFORTS TO ELICIT A
MORE ACTIVE AND BALANCED POSITION. EMBASSY VATICAN WILL
CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE HOLY SEE AND AFFILIATED AGENCIES IN
ROME TO RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGE OF AFRICAN FAMINE AND TO
ENSURE BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SAFETY AND POTENTIAL
BENEFITS OF BIOTECH FOODS.

NICHOLSON

UNCLASSIFIED

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2003VATICA00402 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED