Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BUCHAREST120
2009-02-24 13:58:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Bucharest
Cable title:
ROMANIA SUPPORTS BIOTECH CORN VARIETIES
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHBM #0120 0551358 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 241358Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9254 RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS BUCHAREST 000120
DEPT FOR EUR/CE ASCHIEBE, EBB/TPP/ABT, EUR/ERA
DEPT PASS TO USTR
USDA/FAS FOR SFROGGETT
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EUN TBIO RO
SUBJECT: ROMANIA SUPPORTS BIOTECH CORN VARIETIES
REF: STATE 14566
UNCLAS BUCHAREST 000120
DEPT FOR EUR/CE ASCHIEBE, EBB/TPP/ABT, EUR/ERA
DEPT PASS TO USTR
USDA/FAS FOR SFROGGETT
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EUN TBIO RO
SUBJECT: ROMANIA SUPPORTS BIOTECH CORN VARIETIES
REF: STATE 14566
1. (U) Post transmitted reftel demarche points regarding the EU vote
on biotech corn to the Agriculture, Environment, Foreign Affairs and
Trade Ministries. EconOff subsequently met with representatives
from the Agriculture and Environment Ministries to confirm Romania's
support for allowing the cultivation of these two biotech corn
varieties.
2. (SBU) As expected, Tatiana Preda, Superior Counselor for Research
and Biotechnology at the Agriculture Ministry, stated that the new
Agriculture Minister is generally supportive of biotech agriculture.
Surprisingly, the new leadership at the Ministry of Environment,
which has previously been skeptical of biotech, appears to be more
open to arguments in favor of biotech cultivation. Silviu Megan,
Director for Nature Protection, Biodiversity and Biosecurity;
Liliana Bara, Director for European Affairs and Common Policies;
Flavius Ardelean, Counselor to State Secretary Badulescu; and Roxana
Ionescu, Principal Counselor for Nature Protection, Biodiversity and
Biosafety, all confirmed the Ministry's support for biotech corn
cultivation during a meeting with EconOff. Ms. Ionescu added that
she will represent Romania at the February 25 vote. (Note: She will
also participate in the International Visitors Program this spring.
End Note) While reluctant to detail the new Minister's positions on
biotech in general, support for any biotech cultivation represents a
marked departure from the anti-biotech stance the Ministry took
under the previous government. The Ministry requested that EconOff
facilitate access to additional independent scientific studies on
biotech products, as the Government of Romania lacks the technical
ability to verify the safety of all biotech products on their own.
GUTHRIE-CORN
DEPT FOR EUR/CE ASCHIEBE, EBB/TPP/ABT, EUR/ERA
DEPT PASS TO USTR
USDA/FAS FOR SFROGGETT
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EUN TBIO RO
SUBJECT: ROMANIA SUPPORTS BIOTECH CORN VARIETIES
REF: STATE 14566
1. (U) Post transmitted reftel demarche points regarding the EU vote
on biotech corn to the Agriculture, Environment, Foreign Affairs and
Trade Ministries. EconOff subsequently met with representatives
from the Agriculture and Environment Ministries to confirm Romania's
support for allowing the cultivation of these two biotech corn
varieties.
2. (SBU) As expected, Tatiana Preda, Superior Counselor for Research
and Biotechnology at the Agriculture Ministry, stated that the new
Agriculture Minister is generally supportive of biotech agriculture.
Surprisingly, the new leadership at the Ministry of Environment,
which has previously been skeptical of biotech, appears to be more
open to arguments in favor of biotech cultivation. Silviu Megan,
Director for Nature Protection, Biodiversity and Biosecurity;
Liliana Bara, Director for European Affairs and Common Policies;
Flavius Ardelean, Counselor to State Secretary Badulescu; and Roxana
Ionescu, Principal Counselor for Nature Protection, Biodiversity and
Biosafety, all confirmed the Ministry's support for biotech corn
cultivation during a meeting with EconOff. Ms. Ionescu added that
she will represent Romania at the February 25 vote. (Note: She will
also participate in the International Visitors Program this spring.
End Note) While reluctant to detail the new Minister's positions on
biotech in general, support for any biotech cultivation represents a
marked departure from the anti-biotech stance the Ministry took
under the previous government. The Ministry requested that EconOff
facilitate access to additional independent scientific studies on
biotech products, as the Government of Romania lacks the technical
ability to verify the safety of all biotech products on their own.
GUTHRIE-CORN