Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09WARSAW199
2009-02-23 13:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Warsaw
Cable title:
BIOTECHNOLOGY CORN EVENT DEMARCHE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0013 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHWR #0199 0541306 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 231306Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7852 INFO RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS WARSAW 000199
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT MSZYMANSKI, JBOBO; EUR/ERA
USDA FAS FOR OCRA/SNENON, JKOWALSKI; OSTA/MCHESLEY, EJONES
BRUSSELS FOR AG MINISTER COUNSELOR, AGATT LEISHMAN,
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD PL
SUBJECT: BIOTECHNOLOGY CORN EVENT DEMARCHE
REF: STATE 14566
UNCLAS WARSAW 000199
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT MSZYMANSKI, JBOBO; EUR/ERA
USDA FAS FOR OCRA/SNENON, JKOWALSKI; OSTA/MCHESLEY, EJONES
BRUSSELS FOR AG MINISTER COUNSELOR, AGATT LEISHMAN,
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD PL
SUBJECT: BIOTECHNOLOGY CORN EVENT DEMARCHE
REF: STATE 14566
1. FAS Agricultural Counselor delivered reftel demarche on Pioneer
and Syngenta GMO corn hybrid approvals at the Ministry of
Environment, February 20, 2009, meeting with New Technologies
Department Director, Agnieszka Dalbiak. Dalbiak said Poland has not
decided how it will vote on February 25 in Brussels on the new
biotechnology events. Director Dalbiak commented the possibility of
WTO trade sanctions was clear and responded affirmatively when
AgCouns asked if Poland might abstain.
2. EconOff delivered demarche February 19 to Poland's
representative to the Section 133 committee, Mieczyslaw Nogaj, of
the Ministry of Economy. The Econ Ministry had no immediate reply.
3. FAS Agricultural Attach delivered demarche to Malgorzata
Surawska, Director of the Plant Breeding and Protection Department,
Polish Ministry of Agriculture on February 23. No response was
offered. Neither Director Surawska nor other agriculture contacts
were available for an in-person meeting until later in the week.
4. Comment: Post will follow-up to obtain information on Poland's
decision and details of a law on cultivating genetically modified
crops now being drafted. However, Poland's established policy to
vote against approval of all GMO varieties remains in effect, and we
expect it to follow that policy and vote against the approvals
during this vote as well. Nevertheless, Director Dalbiak's comment
that Poland might abstain shows Poland at least is having an
internal debate on biotech. Decision makers have a greater
appreciation that their actions have consequences after facing a
large retaliation sanction in the WTO beef hormone case. End
Comment.
QUANRUD
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT MSZYMANSKI, JBOBO; EUR/ERA
USDA FAS FOR OCRA/SNENON, JKOWALSKI; OSTA/MCHESLEY, EJONES
BRUSSELS FOR AG MINISTER COUNSELOR, AGATT LEISHMAN,
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD PL
SUBJECT: BIOTECHNOLOGY CORN EVENT DEMARCHE
REF: STATE 14566
1. FAS Agricultural Counselor delivered reftel demarche on Pioneer
and Syngenta GMO corn hybrid approvals at the Ministry of
Environment, February 20, 2009, meeting with New Technologies
Department Director, Agnieszka Dalbiak. Dalbiak said Poland has not
decided how it will vote on February 25 in Brussels on the new
biotechnology events. Director Dalbiak commented the possibility of
WTO trade sanctions was clear and responded affirmatively when
AgCouns asked if Poland might abstain.
2. EconOff delivered demarche February 19 to Poland's
representative to the Section 133 committee, Mieczyslaw Nogaj, of
the Ministry of Economy. The Econ Ministry had no immediate reply.
3. FAS Agricultural Attach delivered demarche to Malgorzata
Surawska, Director of the Plant Breeding and Protection Department,
Polish Ministry of Agriculture on February 23. No response was
offered. Neither Director Surawska nor other agriculture contacts
were available for an in-person meeting until later in the week.
4. Comment: Post will follow-up to obtain information on Poland's
decision and details of a law on cultivating genetically modified
crops now being drafted. However, Poland's established policy to
vote against approval of all GMO varieties remains in effect, and we
expect it to follow that policy and vote against the approvals
during this vote as well. Nevertheless, Director Dalbiak's comment
that Poland might abstain shows Poland at least is having an
internal debate on biotech. Decision makers have a greater
appreciation that their actions have consequences after facing a
large retaliation sanction in the WTO beef hormone case. End
Comment.
QUANRUD