US embassy cable - 04ZAGREB1339

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001339 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES/MSOWARDS AND EB/MTA/ATT 
DEPARTMENT FOR EB/EPPD/PD, AND EUR/PPD 
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS USTR/PADILLA 
VIENNA FOR FAS/SHANSON 
BUDAPEST FOR KPOSNERMULLEN 
USDA FOR FAS/OAA/SPENSER, RUDE AND JONES 
USEU BRUSSELS FOR AGRICULTURE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, ECON, ETRD, SENV, TBIO, TSPL, PGOV, HR, Trade 
SUBJECT: UNLICENSED GMO CORN RETURNS BIOTECH TO HEADLINES 
 
REF: ZAGREB 1037 
 
1. (U) On July 9, Minister of Agriculture Petar Cobankovic 
announced that a hybrid corn seed imported by US-based 
Pioneer Seeds tested positive for GMO content. Cobankovic 
estimates that 2,000 hectares of farmland have been planted 
with the GMO-contaminated seed. Destruction of contaminated 
cropland began on July 16 in Eastern Slavonia. 
 
2. (U) Pioneer currently holds about 35 percent of the 
Croatian market for corn seed. For unauthorized release of a 
GMO seed into Croatian soil, Pioneer will likely be liable up 
to 2 million kuna ($337,000). Beyond the immediate financial 
penalties, the damage to Pioneer's reputation on the local 
market is likely to be considerable. 
 
3. (U) In line with Croatia's Law on Nature Protection, 
unlicensed release into nature of genetically-modified seeds 
carries harsh financial penalties for the offending company 
and compels the GoC to compensate farmers for any damages. 
The Law further mandates that the GoC pull all contaminated 
seeds off the local market and clean up contaminated 
cropland. Though the Law establishes a procedure for 
licensing GMO release into Croatian soil, the GoC has 
established no regulations governing the issuance of licenses 
nor has the government shown any interest in implementing a 
GMO licensing procedure. 
 
4. (U) Until the licensing provisions of the Law are 
implemented, there is an effective zero tolerance policy on 
GMOs in seeds. Though the Institute for Public Health 
specified for us that the Pioneer sample seed contained 6 
parts per thousand GMO components, the local Pioneer 
representative released a statement noting that according to 
a certificate provided by Pioneer Labs in Iowa, this 
particular corn seed contained only conventional (non-GMO) 
components. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
5. (SBU) Cobankovic's announcement promises to bring GMO 
anxieties back to the media's attention just as lingering 
fears of public health dangers associated with unlabeled GMO 
foods had started to fade. As science has increasingly been 
marginalized in the local GMO debate (reftel), this latest 
announcement only confirms Croatians' worst fears -- that 
GMOs have been planted in their country without their 
knowledge. 
 
6. (SBU) Post is in the middle of a concerted public 
diplomacy effort to try to counter the widespread 
misunderstanding of biotechnology in Croatia. Three 
biotechnology experts influential in local food and 
environmental policy formulation will shortly arrive in the 
US on a biotech-themed International Visitors' Program. We 
will soon roll out a revamped embassy website including 
numerous biotech links and an article in Croatian on this 
issue funded under Post's Democracy Commission small grants 
program. We should also take advantage of the proposed visit 
by OES A/S Turner this fall to reinforce our outreach efforts 
to scientists, policy-makers, and the Croatian public. END 
COMMENT. 
FRANK 
 
 
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