Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07VIENNA1159
2007-05-04 13:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:
EU STANDING COMMITTEE VOTE ON BIOTECH VARIETIES - AUSTRIA
how-toVZCZCXRO5807 RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV DE RUEHVI #1159 1241346 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 041346Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7197 RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 1179 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1365 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS VIENNA 001159
SIPDIS
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
GENEVA FOR USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EU AU
SUBJECT: EU STANDING COMMITTEE VOTE ON BIOTECH VARIETIES - AUSTRIA
REMAINS STRONGLY OPPOSED
REFS: A) State 58647 B) Vienna 1042
UNCLAS VIENNA 001159
SIPDIS
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
GENEVA FOR USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EU AU
SUBJECT: EU STANDING COMMITTEE VOTE ON BIOTECH VARIETIES - AUSTRIA
REMAINS STRONGLY OPPOSED
REFS: A) State 58647 B) Vienna 1042
1. (U) On May 3, the Mission's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
office conveyed ref A talking points to Ulrich Herzog, Head of the
Ministry of Health's Department for Consumer Health (lead office),
and to Hans Kordik, Head of the Ministry of Agriculture's Department
for EU Coordination. Neither ministry had an immediate response.
2. (SBU) On May 4, we conveyed ref A talking points to Gabriela
Habermayer, Head of the Ministry of Economics' Department for
Multilateral Trade. Habermayer told us that the GoA "had
unfortunately dug itself in" on the issue of biotech corn approvals
due to the near unanimous opposition to agricultural biotechnology
in Austria. She promised to raise USG points with colleagues from
other ministries. However, Habermayer said the GoA would almost
certainly again vote "no" in the Standing Committee. (Note:
Agriculture Minister Proell told the Ambassador (ref B) on April 19
that the GoA opposed approval of the biotech varieties based on the
lack of EU coexistence standards. End Note.)
MCCAW#
SIPDIS
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
GENEVA FOR USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EU AU
SUBJECT: EU STANDING COMMITTEE VOTE ON BIOTECH VARIETIES - AUSTRIA
REMAINS STRONGLY OPPOSED
REFS: A) State 58647 B) Vienna 1042
1. (U) On May 3, the Mission's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
office conveyed ref A talking points to Ulrich Herzog, Head of the
Ministry of Health's Department for Consumer Health (lead office),
and to Hans Kordik, Head of the Ministry of Agriculture's Department
for EU Coordination. Neither ministry had an immediate response.
2. (SBU) On May 4, we conveyed ref A talking points to Gabriela
Habermayer, Head of the Ministry of Economics' Department for
Multilateral Trade. Habermayer told us that the GoA "had
unfortunately dug itself in" on the issue of biotech corn approvals
due to the near unanimous opposition to agricultural biotechnology
in Austria. She promised to raise USG points with colleagues from
other ministries. However, Habermayer said the GoA would almost
certainly again vote "no" in the Standing Committee. (Note:
Agriculture Minister Proell told the Ambassador (ref B) on April 19
that the GoA opposed approval of the biotech varieties based on the
lack of EU coexistence standards. End Note.)
MCCAW#