Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07NICOSIA400
2007-05-09 12:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:
CYPRUS WILL VOTE AGAINST APPROVAL OF STACKED BIOTECH CORN
VZCZCXYZ0017 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHNC #0400 1291227 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 091227Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7793 INFO RUCLRFA/USDA WASHDC 0035 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 3849 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0701
UNCLAS NICOSIA 000400
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE
DEPT PLS PASS USTR
USDA FOR FAS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EU CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS WILL VOTE AGAINST APPROVAL OF STACKED BIOTECH CORN
VARIETIES
REF: STATE 58647
(U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.
UNCLAS NICOSIA 000400
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE
DEPT PLS PASS USTR
USDA FOR FAS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EU CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS WILL VOTE AGAINST APPROVAL OF STACKED BIOTECH CORN
VARIETIES
REF: STATE 58647
(U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.
1. (SBU) Per reftel request, Post delivered on May 3 demarche on the
May 10 EU Standing Committee vote on biotech corn to Alexandros
Zenon, Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We
also sent copies to Panicos Pouros, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of
Agriculture and Natural Resources; Takis Antoniou, Director,
Department of Agriculture; and Nicos Georgiades, Director,
Environment Service.
2. (SBU) Cyprus will be represented at the May 10 meeting by
Giorgos Hartoutsios, Health Inspector at the Ministry of Health's
Medical and Public Health Services. Hartoutsios was unavailable for
comment as he had already left for Brussels. However, Irini
Constantinou, Senior Environment Officer at the Ministry of
Agriculture's Environment Service, informed us on May 9 that the
Government of Cyprus would vote against the Commission's proposal to
approve the EFSA-approved biotech corn variety, as it did at the
April 19 vote on sugar beets. To date, Cyprus has voted against
every new biotech application, mainly due to strong pressure from
domestic environmental organizations. Post will report any further
GOC reaction.
SCHLICHER
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE
DEPT PLS PASS USTR
USDA FOR FAS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EU CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS WILL VOTE AGAINST APPROVAL OF STACKED BIOTECH CORN
VARIETIES
REF: STATE 58647
(U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.
1. (SBU) Per reftel request, Post delivered on May 3 demarche on the
May 10 EU Standing Committee vote on biotech corn to Alexandros
Zenon, Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We
also sent copies to Panicos Pouros, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of
Agriculture and Natural Resources; Takis Antoniou, Director,
Department of Agriculture; and Nicos Georgiades, Director,
Environment Service.
2. (SBU) Cyprus will be represented at the May 10 meeting by
Giorgos Hartoutsios, Health Inspector at the Ministry of Health's
Medical and Public Health Services. Hartoutsios was unavailable for
comment as he had already left for Brussels. However, Irini
Constantinou, Senior Environment Officer at the Ministry of
Agriculture's Environment Service, informed us on May 9 that the
Government of Cyprus would vote against the Commission's proposal to
approve the EFSA-approved biotech corn variety, as it did at the
April 19 vote on sugar beets. To date, Cyprus has voted against
every new biotech application, mainly due to strong pressure from
domestic environmental organizations. Post will report any further
GOC reaction.
SCHLICHER