US embassy cable - 04VATICAN736

UNCLAS VATICAN 000736 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EB/TPP/ABT/BTT (MALAC AND BOBO); EUR/WE (LEVIN) 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL, TBIO, VT, Biotechnology 
SUBJECT: FUNDING REQUEST FOR EMBASSY VATICAN BIOTECHNOLOGY 
CONFERENCE 
 
REF. STATE 15050 
 
1.POST REQUESTS FUNDING OF $25000 FOR A BIOTECHNOLOGY 
CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN ROME AIMED AT FURTHER MOVING THE 
HOLY SEE TO ADOPT A MORE OPEN AND PUBLIC POSITION IN FAVOR 
OF BIOTECHNOLOGY.  THE TARGET AUDIENCE WILL BE SENIOR 
VATICAN DECISION MAKERS REPRESENTING A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES, 
THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS ACCREDITED TO THE HOLY SEE 
ENCOMPASSING 174 NATIONS, AND THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS CORPS 
BASED IN ROME AND VATICAN CITY.  POPE JOHN PAUL II COULD 
    RECEIVE CONFERENCE DELEGATES IN AUDIENCE, MULTIPLYING THE 
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY COMPONENT.  THE HOLY SEE'S VOICE IS 
PARTICULARLY INFLUENTIAL AMONG DEVELOPING NATIONS CURRENTLY 
WARY OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, AND THIS CONFERENCE WILL BE AIMED 
SPECIFICALLY AT PROMOTING GREATER ACCEPTANCE AND USE OF 
BIOTECHNOLOGY WITHIN THE DEVELOPING WORLD. 
 
2.  THE CONFERENCE WILL SEEK TO PRESENT THE EXPERIENCES OF 
FARMERS WHO HAVE WORKED WITH BIOTECHNOLOGY IN DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES AND THE U.S., AND DISCUSS POTENTIAL BIOTECH 
DEVELOPMENTS THAT COULD SPECIFICALLY PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE 
DEVELOPMENT AND END HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION.  ALL OF THIS 
WILL SEEK TO PROVIDE INFORMATION NEEDED TO BOLSTER THE 
MORAL ARGUMENTS FOR OPENNESS TOWARD THE POSSIBILITIES OF 
BIOTECHNOLOGY. 
 
3.  THIS CONFERENCE IS PART OF POST'S 2006 MPP STRATEGIC 
GOAL TO PROMOTE GLOBAL HEALTH BY BUILDING INTERNATIONAL 
SUPPORT FOR BIOTECH FOODS THAT CAN HELP MEET TRANSNATIONAL 
HEALTH THREATS ARISING FROM HUNGER.  FOLLOWING CRITICAL 
COMMENTS ON BIOTECH RELIEF FOOD FROM AN ACTIVIST PRIEST IN 
ZAMBIA, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THAT GOVERNMENT'S 2002 
DECISION TO REJECT US FOOD AID, THE EMBASSY HAS ACTIVELY 
ENGAGED THE HOLY SEE TO PROVIDE CLEARER GUIDANCE TO 
CATHOLIC CLERGY AND LAY PEOPLE CONCERNING THE SAFETY AND 
POTENTIAL OF BIOTECH FOODS.  WE HAVE PRESSED THE HOLY SEE 
TO USE ITS MORAL VOICE TO SPEAK OUT ON THIS LIFE AND DEATH 
ISSUE.  AS A RESULT OF THE EMBASSY'S ENGAGEMENT, THE HOLY 
SEE'S COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE HOSTED A MAJOR 
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND MADE A GENERALLY POSITIVE 
ASSESSMENT, WHICH GENERATED EXTENSIVE POSITIVE 
    INTERNATIONAL MEDIA COVERAGE AND HAS POSITIONED THE HOLY 
SEE TO SPEAK OUT MORE FORCEFULLY ON THE ISSUE.  IN THE YEAR 
AHEAD, WE INTEND TO CONTINUE OUR PRESSURE ON THE HOLY SEE 
TO SPEAK OUT IN FAVOR OF BIOTECH FOODS AND TO DISSEMINATE 
THEIR CONCLUSIONS MORE WIDELY AS GUIDANCE TO BISHOPS AND 
NUNCIOS.  THIS BIOTECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE IS A MAJOR ELEMENT 
OF THAT STRATEGY. 
 
4.  THE COST ESTIMATE COVERS TRANSPORTATION AND PER DIEM 
FOR SPEAKERS, SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION SERVICES, VENUE 
HIRE, PRINTING COSTS, CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS COLLATION AND 
MAILING, AND MEDIA KITS. 
 
HARDT 
 
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 2004VATICA00736 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED