CZECH REPUBLIC: REPLY TO DEMARCHE ON SOY ISSUE AT

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000500 SENSITIVE SIPDIS USTR, USDA/FAS, EEB/TPP/ABT, EUR/ERA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD EUN TBIO EZ SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: REPLY TO DEMARCHE ON SOY ISSUE AT SEPTEMBER 7 EU AGRICULTURE COUNCIL MEETING REF: STATE 96566 ¶1. (SBU) On August 25 EconOff delivered reftel demarche to Agriculture Ministry Food Safety Division Head Petr Benes, who will represent the Czech Republic at the September 7 EU Agriculture Council Meeting. Benes said that he and Agricultural Minister Sebesta became aware of the soy issue in July when Czech feed producers shared their concerns about the ramifications of a soy import suspension. The Czech Republic is more than 90% dependent on imported soy, and soy is used in the majority of animal feeds produced domestically. Benes reported that Sebesta recently met with Czech-Moravian Union of Grain Warehouses Head and Czech representative to the Organization of EU Grain Producers Jiri Zednik, and pledged to support Czech grain producers on this issue. ¶2. (SBU) Benes met last week with British Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Evidence Strategy Project Head Stuart Wainwright. Benes agreed to advocate for DEFRA's two main objectives at the September 9 meeting: 1. the Commission should issue without further delay a possible technical solution on the low level presence of unauthorized GM material in imported commodities; and 2. the final decisions on possible EU approval for the import of the GM maize events MON88107 and MIR604 should progress as quickly as possible. Thompson-Jones