Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BUJUMBURA84
2009-02-19 13:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bujumbura
Cable title:
AGMIN OPEN TO NON-RESTRICTIVE BIOSAFETY APPROACH
how-toVZCZCXYZ0016 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHJB #0084 0501320 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 191320Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1385 INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000084
SIPDIS
USDA/FAS FOR STEVE FROGGETT
OES FOR DANIELLE WOOD
EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT FOR MARCELLA SZYMANSKI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO KPAO BY
SUBJECT: AGMIN OPEN TO NON-RESTRICTIVE BIOSAFETY APPROACH
REF: STATE 11910
UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000084
SIPDIS
USDA/FAS FOR STEVE FROGGETT
OES FOR DANIELLE WOOD
EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT FOR MARCELLA SZYMANSKI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO KPAO BY
SUBJECT: AGMIN OPEN TO NON-RESTRICTIVE BIOSAFETY APPROACH
REF: STATE 11910
1. In a February 19 meeting with EconOff to discuss the
Ministry of Agriculture's stance on proposed rules to be
debated under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (reftel),
Pascal Ndayiragije, Director of Vegetable and Animal Products
for the AgMin's research institute (known by its French
acronym ISABU):
-- said that he was not aware of the February 23-27 meeting
in Mexico City to continue negotiations on the proposed
rules, and did not think Burundi would send a representative;
-- explained that the government had no set policy concerning
the transboundary movement of living modified organisms
(LMOs);
-- agreed that it would be an extreme position to consider
all LMOs as "ultra-hazardous" materials, and said that each
LMO should be evaluated on its own merits;
-- acknowledged the importance of LMOs to African
agriculture, and mentioned ISABU's own efforts to introduce
virus-resistant varieties of cassava; and
-- said AgMin personnel needed training on how to effectively
address biosafety issues.
Wagner
SIPDIS
USDA/FAS FOR STEVE FROGGETT
OES FOR DANIELLE WOOD
EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT FOR MARCELLA SZYMANSKI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO KPAO BY
SUBJECT: AGMIN OPEN TO NON-RESTRICTIVE BIOSAFETY APPROACH
REF: STATE 11910
1. In a February 19 meeting with EconOff to discuss the
Ministry of Agriculture's stance on proposed rules to be
debated under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (reftel),
Pascal Ndayiragije, Director of Vegetable and Animal Products
for the AgMin's research institute (known by its French
acronym ISABU):
-- said that he was not aware of the February 23-27 meeting
in Mexico City to continue negotiations on the proposed
rules, and did not think Burundi would send a representative;
-- explained that the government had no set policy concerning
the transboundary movement of living modified organisms
(LMOs);
-- agreed that it would be an extreme position to consider
all LMOs as "ultra-hazardous" materials, and said that each
LMO should be evaluated on its own merits;
-- acknowledged the importance of LMOs to African
agriculture, and mentioned ISABU's own efforts to introduce
virus-resistant varieties of cassava; and
-- said AgMin personnel needed training on how to effectively
address biosafety issues.
Wagner