Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LJUBLJANA44
2009-02-24 15:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ljubljana
Cable title:
SLOVENIA: NO RESPONSE ON BIOTECH CORN, BUT
how-toVZCZCXRO1058 PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHLJ #0044 0551501 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 241501Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7183 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000044
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USTR, USDA/FAS, USDOC, EBB/TPP/ABT, EUR/ERA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EUN KPAO TBIO SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: NO RESPONSE ON BIOTECH CORN, BUT
UNLIKELY TO SUPPORT
REF: A. SECSTATE 14566
B. LJUBLJANA 36
UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000044
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USTR, USDA/FAS, USDOC, EBB/TPP/ABT, EUR/ERA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EUN KPAO TBIO SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: NO RESPONSE ON BIOTECH CORN, BUT
UNLIKELY TO SUPPORT
REF: A. SECSTATE 14566
B. LJUBLJANA 36
1. (SBU) Emboff delivered demarche per reftel A on February
20 to Alenka Zupancic, Acting Head of Service for EU
Coordination and International Affairs and State Secretary of
the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. Zupancic
said she could not give a response to this issue. However,
ministry officials recently told Emboffs that Slovenia will
always either vote against GMOs or abstain from voting on GMO
issues (reftel B). They specifically mentioned that because
Slovenia does not have corn borer, there is no benefit to
Slovenia in the use of biotech corn. Ministry officials also
stated that Slovenia will never support biotech corn until
the government sees a three-year controlled study on the
effects on cattle fed exclusively on biotech corn. While the
typical stance of the GoS on biotech organisms is very
conservative, the officials have assured us that they will
not impose stricter guidelines than those set by the EU and
will adhere to the EU's position.
FREDEN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USTR, USDA/FAS, USDOC, EBB/TPP/ABT, EUR/ERA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EUN KPAO TBIO SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: NO RESPONSE ON BIOTECH CORN, BUT
UNLIKELY TO SUPPORT
REF: A. SECSTATE 14566
B. LJUBLJANA 36
1. (SBU) Emboff delivered demarche per reftel A on February
20 to Alenka Zupancic, Acting Head of Service for EU
Coordination and International Affairs and State Secretary of
the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. Zupancic
said she could not give a response to this issue. However,
ministry officials recently told Emboffs that Slovenia will
always either vote against GMOs or abstain from voting on GMO
issues (reftel B). They specifically mentioned that because
Slovenia does not have corn borer, there is no benefit to
Slovenia in the use of biotech corn. Ministry officials also
stated that Slovenia will never support biotech corn until
the government sees a three-year controlled study on the
effects on cattle fed exclusively on biotech corn. While the
typical stance of the GoS on biotech organisms is very
conservative, the officials have assured us that they will
not impose stricter guidelines than those set by the EU and
will adhere to the EU's position.
FREDEN