Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LJUBLJANA58
2006-01-26 07:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ljubljana
Cable title:  

SLOVENIA: 2006 BIOTECHNOLOGY OUTREACH FUNDS

Tags:  EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO SI 
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UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000058 

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EB/TPP/ABT/BTT/SPIRNAK, LERSTEN, AND KOCH
AMEMBASSY VIENNA FOR FAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: 2006 BIOTECHNOLOGY OUTREACH FUNDS
PROPOSAL

REF: 05 STATE 233448

05 LJUBLJANA 0724

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000058

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EB/TPP/ABT/BTT/SPIRNAK, LERSTEN, AND KOCH
AMEMBASSY VIENNA FOR FAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: 2006 BIOTECHNOLOGY OUTREACH FUNDS
PROPOSAL

REF: 05 STATE 233448

05 LJUBLJANA 0724


1. SUMMARY: Slovenia is at a critical policy making juncture
on agricultural biotechnology. An EU member state since May
2004, Slovenia appears to be taking a more pragmatic
approach to the adoption of biotechnology than some of its
neighbors. Post sees a window of opportunity to influence
policy and encourage Slovenia to create a balanced set of
guidelines that are in line with EU regulations and would be
implemented according to the spirit of the law as well.
Decision makers will develop and implement Slovenia's policy
on biotechnology and agricultural coexistence in 2006. A
small nation surrounded by states with vociferous anti-
biotech lobbies opposed to development of a science-based,
open-minded policy on biotechnology, Slovenia is poised to
become a key voice of reason on biotechnology and co-
existence. Post requests financial assistance from EB
biotech funds in order to support a seminar on biotechnology
and to develop and publish educational materials in Slovene
on the benefits of biotech. End Summary.

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SEMINAR
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2. In FY 05, Mission sponsored a seminar on agricultural
coexistence in cooperation with the Foreign Agricultural
Service in Vienna. The event helped pave the way for open,
science-based debate on biotech and coexistence. The
conference attracted nearly seventy participants, including
members of parliament, key policy-makers from Slovene
Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, and Health,
conventional and organic farmers, academics, scientists, and
U.S. Embassy officers from neighboring countries and USEU
(ref B).


3. The coexistence seminar was the first step in Post's
long term strategy of influencing the biotech policy
direction of the GOS. Over the course of the past three
months, COM has written several letters to senior Ag
Ministry officials encouraging the prompt and balanced
development of coexistence policies. COM has also met with
influential members of the agricultural and food industries
to discuss the potential for use of genetically enhanced
products in Slovenia. Post Econoff and Econ Specialist

continue to reach out to Slovenia's agricultural community
and plan to meet in early February with the director of the
largest domestic umbrella farming organization. Post plans
to further build on this momentum with a planned late
February 2006 visit by Chief biotech negotiator, Madelyn
Spirnak.


4. We believe that the next step in our strategy is to
engage more deeply with the GOS's coexistence policy working
group, which we anticipate will be fully-formed and
functioning by the end of Q1 2006. To this end, Post
requests biotech funds to support a targeted workshop in May

2006. This workshop will bring together senior U.S. experts
and members of the GOS's coexistence working group for a day-
long discussion of the benefits for Slovenia of
biotechnology, as well as best practices for creating an
open, rules-based regulatory environment. Post will work
closely with FAS Vienna to identify experienced speakers
from the USDA's biotech agency and from academia. In
addition, we will also invite experts from EU governments
that already have biotech-friendly policies in place. Along
with the request for biotech funds, Post anticipates
leveraging funding from multiple sources to support this
project, including Business Facilitation Incentive Funds as
well as resources collected for commercial services provided
by post.

--------------
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
--------------


5. Despite the relative pragmatism of Slovene policymakers
on biotechnology, the general public is often misinformed
and lacks understanding of environmental and health impacts
of GMOs and the benefits of genetically enhanced products.
Post contacts in private business and in government
ministries note that even if Slovenia adopts a GMO-friendly
set of rules and policies, creating positive public
awareness will be a significant challenge.


6. With support from EB biotech funds, Post proposes to
adapt USG-produced informational products into a set of
Slovene-language educational materials to explain the


benefits of agbiotech and dispel some of the myths about the
drawbacks. The target audience for these materials will be
the farming community as well as the general public. The
materials will focus on the improved yield potential for
farmers and the reduced need for pesticides as a benefit to
consumers. This grass-roots based effort extolling the
safety and virtues of biotechnology should begin to create a
more positive view of GMOs. In addition, Post proposes to
create a Slovene-language page within our external website
which would carry the same messages as in the print
brochure.

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EXPECTED COSTS
--------------


7. Post anticipates that the cost of these programs would
be approximately as follows:

Seminar: $7,500
The cost for this one-day event would include speaker fees,
travel, and per diem for two U.S. speakers as well as rental
of conference facilities for an anticipated participation of
approximately 20-30 people.

Educational Materials: $2,500
The cost would include anticipated charges for copyright
permission, translation, and publishing.

Total Biotech Funds Request from Embassy Ljubljana for FY
2006: $10,000.

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POST CONTACT INFORMATION
--------------


8. Post point of contact for both programs is Economic and
Commercial Officer John Nylin, nylinjd@state.gov.

ROBERTSON


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