US embassy cable - 03VATICAN3917

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003917 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE: LEVIN; EB/TPP/ABT: HKLEMM; EB: MALAC, 
CEKUTA; IIP/T/ES: DURANT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/27/2013 
TAGS: EAGR, ECON, PREL, SENV, SOCI, VT, Biotechnology 
SUBJECT: VATICAN PREPARING FOR NOVEMBER BIOTECH CONFERENCE 
 
REF: VAT 3584 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES D. BRENT HARDT. REASON: 1.5 (B) 
AND (D). 
 
1. (C)  FRANK DEWANE, UNDER SECRETARY OF THE VATICAN'S 
    COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE TOLD CHARGE AUGUST 27 THAT THE 
COUNCIL'S RECENTLY ANNOUNCED BIOTECH CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER 
WAS BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE.  WHILE THE SPECIFICS ARE STILL 
BEING WORKED OUT, DEWANE SAID THAT THE COUNCIL WAS SEEKING TO 
ENSURE THAT THE ROSTER OF SPEAKERS WOULD BE WEIGHTED TOWARD 
BIOTECH ADVOCATES.  DEWANE ALSO NOTED THAT AFTER SOME 
INTERNAL DEBATE, THE COUNCIL WAS NOW LIKELY TO ISSUE A 
DOCUMENT AFTER THE CONFERENCE -- EITHER A STATEMENT OR A 
SUMMARY OF CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS.  HE EMPHASIZED THAT THIS 
DOCUMENT WOULD REPRESENT THE POSITION OF THE JUSTICE AND 
PEACE COUNCIL, BUT WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A DEFINITIVE 
'PAPAL POSITION.'  DEWANE FURTHER NOTED THAT THE CONFERENCE 
WOULD HAVE A MEDIA COMPONENT AIMED AT DISSEMINATING THE 
COUNCIL'S VIEW WIDELY, ALTHOUGH THE MEDIA WOULD NOT BE 
INVITED TO THE CONFERENCE ITSELF. 
 
2. (C) CHARGE WELCOMED THE PROGRESS IN PLANNING FOR THE 
CONFERENCE AND THE INDICATIONS THAT THE VATICAN WOULD SEEK TO 
EMPHASIZE PRO-BIOTECH VOICES.  AT THE SAME TIME, HE 
HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HOLY SEE'S PUTTING OUT A 
DEFINITIVE VIEW FOR USE BY BISHOPS AND NUNCIOS WORLDWIDE TO 
HELP SHAPE OPINION, PARTICULARLY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD.  HE 
POINTED OUT THAT CATHOLIC BISHOPS IN BRAZIL HAD RECENTLY PUT 
OUT A STATEMENT OPPOSING BIOTECH FOODS -- A STATEMENT FULL OF 
THE WORST MISINFORMATION IMAGINABLE, SUCH AS CLAIMS THAT 
BIOTECH FOODS CAUSE ALLERGIC REACTIONS, COULD WIPE OUT 
INDIGENOUS CROPS, AND WOULD THREATEN NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY OF 
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.  GIVEN THE RESPECT WITH WHICH THE 
BISHOPS' VIEWS ARE REGARDED IN MANY COUNTRIES, HE NOTED, IT 
WAS VITAL THAT THE HOLY SEE ENSURE THAT ITS BISHOPS BASED 
PUBLIC STATEMENTS ON FACTS ON NOT FEARS.  DEWANE ACKNOWLEDGED 
    THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING SO, AND REQUESTED THAT THE EMBASSY 
PASS ALONG ANY ADDITIONAL POINTS THAT WOULD ASSIST THEM IN 
PROVIDING CLEAR AND FACTUAL ANSWERS TO SOME OF THESE CLAIMS, 
WHICH HE SAID THE COUNCIL'S PRESIDENT WOULD USE IN SUBSEQUENT 
PUBLIC STATEMENTS.  CHARGE PROMISED TO PROVIDE A COMPLETE 
PACKAGE OF INFORMATION, BUILDING ON PREVIOUS INFORMATION 
PROVIDED TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT ARCHBISHOP RENATO MARTINO. 
 
3. (SBU)  COMMENT:  WE EXPECT THAT THE LATE-SEPTEMBER VISIT 
TO POST OF DR. VAL GIDDINGS OF THE BIOTECH INDUSTRY 
ORGANIZATION (SPONSORED BY IIP) WILL HELP FRAME THE BIOTECH 
DEBATE PUBLICLY AND WITHIN THE VATICAN IN ADVANCE OF 
NOVEMBER'S CONFERENCE.  GIDDINGS' PLANNED SCHEDULE INCLUDES 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NUMEROUS MEMBERS OF THE VATICAN COMMUNITY, 
INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, AS 
WELL AS PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND A PRESENTATION TO THE 
DIPLOMATIC CORPS. 
 
HARDT 
 
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 2003VATICA03917 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL