US embassy cable - 02ROME2565

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 002565 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FOR FAS: MARY CHAMBLISS, LYNN REICH, DICK HUGHES AND 
CHRISTIAN FOSTER; SECRETARY'S STAFF FOR JOHN WILSON 
STATE FOR E STAFF, IO/EDA ROSE BERSTEIN;EB PATRICK HUDAK 
USAID/EGAD FOR ADMINISTRATOR'S STAFF, 
R.CUMMINGS,J.GRIECO, J.LEWIS AND J.EBERLEY 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC, EAID, EAID, EAID, FAO, AGR AORC, FAO, AGR AORC, FAO, AGR 
SUBJECT:  WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER:TWO WEEKS TO 
GO 
 
REF:  A) ROME 895; B) SECSTATE 101829; C) ROME 2487 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  02565  01 OF 03  281206Z 
 
1.  SUMMARY: THIS CABLE UPDATES ON PREPARATIONS FOR THE 
JUNE 10-13 WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER (WFS5YL) 
MEETING IN ROME, JUNE 10-13, 2002. SOME 50 HEADS OF 
STATE/HEADS OF GOVERNMENT ARE EXPECTED, MOSTLY FROM 
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.  ITALY, SPAIN, BELGIUM AND SWEDEN 
ARE THE ONLY OECD HEADS OF STATE/GOVERNMENT ATTENDING. 
THE FAO IS STILL DEVELOPING IDEAS FOR SIDE EVENTS TO 
COMPLEMENT PLENARY STATEMENTS, ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS AND 
A CIVIL SOCIETY/GOVERNMENTS MULTISTAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE. 
MOST OECD DONORS ARE PRIVATELY UNENTHUSIASTIC, HOWEVER, 
ABOUT A RECENTLY-ANNOUNCED FAO EVENT WHICH IS BILLED AS 
AN OPPORTUNITY TO MATCH PROJECTS WITH FUNDING.  SOME 600 
NGOS ARE ALREADY OFFICIALLY "ACCREDITED" TO THE CITY OF 
ROME-SPONSORED "NGO FORUM" IN NEARBY EUR.  TWO INFORMAL 
MEETINGS ON THE DRAFT WFS5YL DECLARATION HAVE CLARIFIED 
SOME PROCEDURAL ISSUES, AND SURFACED SOME ISSUES OF 
CONCERN TO COUNTRIES (BUT HAVE ALSO SEEN SOME FRICTION 
DUE TO  UNREALISTIC G-77 EXPECTATIONS THAT THE OECD (AND 
THE EU, IN PARTICULAR) WOULD BE READY TO NEGOTIATE.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
WHO'S COMING 
------------ 
 
2.  THE LATEST (UNOFFICIAL)COUNT IS 40 HEADS OF STATE AND 
10 HEADS OF GOVERNMENT. AS EXPECTED, MOST ARE FROM 
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.  FOUR OECD HEADS OF GOVERNMENT ARE 
EXPECTED TO ATTEND: ITALY, SPAIN, BELGIUM AND SWEDEN.  G- 
77 HEADS OF STATE/GOVERNMENT ARE REPORTED TO INCLUDE: 
NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA, MOZAMBIQUE, INDONESIA, UGANDA, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  02565  01 OF 03  281206Z 
PAKISTAN AND MOROCCO.  MOST COUNTRIES WILL BE REPRESENTED 
AT THE LEVEL OF MINISTERS OF AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT 
COOPERATION.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EXPECTED 
PARTICIPATION CONTACT TAMLYNL@STATE.GOV OR 
LAMBERTD@FAS.USDA.GOV. 
 
SCHEDULE 
-------- 
3.  GENERAL: 
 
-- THE GENERAL OUTLINE FOR THE FOUR DAY MEETING IS: 
MORNING AND AFTERNOON (POSSIBLY EVENING) PLENARY SESSIONS 
FOR COUNTRY STATEMENTS,  ROUNDTABLES FOR HEADS OF 
DELEGATION (TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY), PRESS CONFERENCES 
(THROUGHOUT) AND A MULTISTAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE WITH CIVIL 
SOCIETY (WEDNESDAY). THE FAO IS PLANNING A PLETHORA OF 
SIDE-EVENTS ON  TOPICS RELATING TO NUTRITION, AGRICULTURE 
AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT.  NO COUNTRY-SPONSORED SIDE EVENTS 
ARE ALLOWED AT THE FAO DUE TO "SPACE LIMITATIONS." AN NGO 
FORUM IN NEARBY EUR WILL BE OPEN TO DELEGATES. 
 
-- WE HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT THE FAO IS PLANNING TO HOLD 
SOME 13 "PROJECT FAIRS" WHERE SUB-REGIONAL FOOD SECURITY 
STRATEGIES WILL BE PRESENTED BY FAO STAFF TO AN AUDIENCE 
TO INCLUDE DONORS AND RECIPIENTS.  SPECIFIC PROJECTS WILL 
BE IDENTIFIED FOR POSSIBLE FINANCING.  (COMMENT:  MOST 
OECD COUNTRIES ARE UNENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE PROPOSAL: FEW 
IF ANY ARE COMING TO THIS MEETING CHECKBOOK IN HAND TO 
SIGN UP FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS.  END COMMENT.) 
 
4.  MONDAY, JUNE 10: 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  02565  01 OF 03  281206Z 
 
--OPENING CEREMONY (TO FEATURE ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER 
BERLUSCONI, UN SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN, MAYOR OF 
ROME VELTRONI, FAO DIRECTOR GENERAL JACQUES DIOUF AND THE 
FAO INDEPENDENT CHAIR OF COUNCIL, AMBASSADOR AZIZ 
MEKOUAR.) 
-- ADOPTION OF WFS5YL DECLARATION (SEE PARAS 8-9) 
--COUNTRY STATEMENTS WILL COMMENCE O/A 11:00 A.M. AND 
CONTINUE IN THE AFTERNOON PLENARY.  PRIME MINISTER 
BERLUSCONI IS THE CHAIR OF THE WFS5YL; HE IS NOT EXPECTED 
TO STAY PAST THE MORNING SESSION AND ONE OF THE SIX VICE- 
CHAIRS WILL ASSUME THE CHAIR AFTER THAT.  NB:  THE UNITED 
STATES IS ONE OF THE VICE CHAIRS (NAME STILL TO BE 
COMMUNICATED TO FAO).  AT A MINIMUM, THE VICE CHAIR WILL 
NEED TO CHAIR ONE THREE-HOUR PLENARY SESSION. 
 
TUESDAY, JUNE 11: 
 
-- COUNTRY STATEMENTS CONTINUE IN PLENARY. 
-- THE FIRST OF THREE ROUNDTABLES FOR HEADS OF DELEGATION 
(PLUS ALTERNATE) WILL COMMENCE.  THE TOPIC IS: "THE WORLD 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ2149 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  02565  02 OF 03  281206Z 
ACTION SSO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AGRE-00  AID-00   ANHR-00  EB-00    E-00     UTED-00 
      TEDE-00  IO-00    OIC-02   SS-00    TEST-00  R-00     SAS-00 
        /002W 
                  ------------------B48516  281206Z /38 
R 281240Z MAY 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3919 
INFO USDA FAS WASHDC 2145 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 002565 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FOR FAS: MARY CHAMBLISS, LYNN REICH, DICK HUGHES AND 
CHRISTIAN FOSTER; SECRETARY'S STAFF FOR JOHN WILSON 
STATE FOR E STAFF, IO/EDA ROSE BERSTEIN;EB PATRICK HUDAK 
USAID/EGAD FOR ADMINISTRATOR'S STAFF, 
R.CUMMINGS,J.GRIECO, J.LEWIS AND J.EBERLEY 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:  AORC, FAO, EAID, AGR 
SUBJECT:  WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER:TWO WEEKS TO 
GO 
 
FOOD SUMMIT PLAN OF ACTION: RESULTS ACHIEVED, OBSTACLES 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  02565  02 OF 03  281206Z 
MET AND MEANS OF OVERCOMING THEM." THERE WILL BE SIXTY 
PARTICIPANTS PER ROUNDTABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL 
PARTICIPANTS.   EACH ROUNDTABLE HAS A G-77 AND AN OECD 
CHAIR.  THE OECD CHAIRS ARE BELGIUM (SECRETARY OF STATE 
FOR DEVELOPMENT), CANADA (MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE) AND 
(TO BE CONFIRMED) NEW ZEALAND (MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE 
AND TRADE. THE G-77 CO-CHAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. 
THE UNITED STATES IS SIGNED UP FOR THE FIRST ROUNDTABLE 
ON TUESDAY MORNING. (COMMENT: WE HEARD LATE FRIDAY 5/24 
THAT ALL THREE ROUNDTABLES MAY BE HELD SIMULTANEOUSLY. 
END COMMENT.) 
-- OTHER FAO-ORGANIZED SIDE EVENTS (TO BE CONFIRMED) 
INCLUDING SEMINAR TUESDAY MORNING ON MEETING THE 
MILLENIUM SUMMIT HUNGER GOALS. 
 
5.  WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12: 
 
-- PLENARY CONTINUES 
-- LAST ROUNDTABLE HELD WEDNESDAY MORNING 
-- SIDE EVENTS CONTINUE (INCLUDING WORLD BANK 
PRESENTATION TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR 5:00 - 7:00 P.M.; 
ALSO EVENT ON "RURAL WOMEN: CRUCIAL PARTNERS IN THE FIGHT 
AGAINST HUNGER" IN THE MORNING) 
-- MULTISTAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE (WITH CIVIL SOCIETY) 2:30 - 
5:30 P.M. 
-- ALL DAY PARLIAMENTARIANS EVENT AT THE ITALIAN 
PARLIAMENT (INCLUDING PRESENTATIONS ON THE ROLE OF 
PARLIAMENTARIANS IN FIGHTING HUNGER, AND DISCUSSION OF 
THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT GOALS.) (SEE WWW.IPU.ORG/SPLZ- 
E/WFS5.HTM 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  02565  02 OF 03  281206Z 
 
6.  THURSDAY, JUNE 13: 
 
-- PLENARY CONTINUES (NGOS, OBSERVER DELEGATIONS AND 
OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION STATEMENTS) 
-- WFS5YL CONCLUDING PLENARY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT 3:00 
P.M. 
 
U.S. EVENTS 
----------- 
7.  PREPARATIONS FOR U.S. EVENTS ARE BEING COORDINATED 
BETWEEN ROME AND WASHINGTON.  A U.S. AGRICULTURE 
BIOTECHNOLOGY SIDE EVENT IS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY 
AFTERNOON (5:00 - 7:00 P.M.) AT THE EXCELSIOR HOTEL AND 
WILL FEATURE EMINENT SPEAKERS ON BIOTECHNOLOGY. AN 
AFRICAN PARTNERSHIP BREAKFAST IS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY 
MORNING.  THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE WILL HOST AN IICA 
(INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR AGRICULTURE) BREAKFAST 
TUESDAY MORNING AS WELL.  THE U.S. HAS A DEDICATED PRESS 
SITE RESERVED FOR MONDAY, JUNE 10 (AFTERNOON), TUESDAY, 
JUNE 11 (LATE MORNING), TUESDAY, JUNE 11, (AFTERNOON) AND 
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12 (AFTERNOON). (THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE 
SCHEDULE OF U.S. SIDE EVENTS OR PRESS BRIEFINGS.  FOR 
MORE DETAILED INFORMATION CONTACT FODAG.) 
 
THE DECLARATION 
----------------- 
 
8.  FORMAL NEGOTIATIONS OF THE WFS5YL DECLARATION WILL 
START AT THE COMMITTEE ON WORLD FOOD SECURITY (CFS) 
MEETING (JUNE 6-8).  CFS CHAIR AIDAN O'DRISCOLL (IRELAND) 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  02565  02 OF 03  281206Z 
HAS OFFERED TO BE IN ROME AS EARLY AS JUNE 4 (AFTERNOON) 
TO CONTINUE INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS OF THE DECLARATION ALONG 
WITH CO-CHAIR MARY MUCHADA (AMBASSADOR OF ZIMBABWE).  G- 
77 CHAIR (AMBASSADOR NOURI-NAEENI OF IRAN) ALSO HELD TWO 
INFORMAL MEETINGS (MAY 17 AND MAY 24)WITH A VIEW TO 
FACILITATING THE WORK OF THE CFS.  THE UNITED STATES 
CIRCULATED TALKING POINTS (CONTAINED IN REFTEL B 
DEMARCHE) ON ITS POSITION ON THE DECLARATION TO ALL ROME 
PERMANENT MISSIONS.  SEPTEL WILL DISCUSS THE MAY 24TH 
MEETING. 
 
9. COMMENT:  THE INFORMAL MEETINGS HAVE IRONED OUT SOME 
PROCEDURAL ISSUES, IN PARTICULAR, CLARIFYING THAT THE 
DRAFT DECLARATION FROM THE JUNE 2001 OPEN ENDED WORKING 
GROUP (OEWG) WILL BE THE BASIS FOR DISCUSSION, THAT NEW 
LANGUAGE WILL BE ACCEPTED AND THAT SOME LANGUAGE NEEDS TO 
BE UPDATED TO REFLECT RECENT MEETINGS.  USEFUL 
INFORMATION HAS SURFACED AT THESE MEETINGS (SUCH AS THE G- 
77 SUPPORT FOR AN INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE AGAINST HUNGER, 
AND JAPAN'S INTEREST IN NEW PARAGRAPHS ON FORESTRY AND 
FISHERIES), BUT THERE HAS ALSO BEEN SOME FRICTION BETWEEN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ2151 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  02565  03 OF 03  281207Z 
ACTION SSO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AGRE-00  AID-00   ANHR-00  EB-00    E-00     UTED-00 
      TEDE-00  IO-00    OIC-02   SS-00    TEST-00  R-00     SAS-00 
        /002W 
                  ------------------B48521  281207Z /38 
R 281240Z MAY 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3920 
INFO USDA FAS WASHDC 2146 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 002565 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FOR FAS: MARY CHAMBLISS, LYNN REICH, DICK HUGHES AND 
CHRISTIAN FOSTER; SECRETARY'S STAFF FOR JOHN WILSON 
STATE FOR E STAFF, IO/EDA ROSE BERSTEIN;EB PATRICK HUDAK 
USAID/EGAD FOR ADMINISTRATOR'S STAFF, 
R.CUMMINGS,J.GRIECO, J.LEWIS AND J.EBERLEY 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:  AORC, FAO, EAID, AGR 
SUBJECT:  WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER:TWO WEEKS TO 
GO 
 
G-77 AND THE EU (EXACERBATED BY CANADA) OVER THE FACT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  02565  03 OF 03  281207Z 
THAT THE EU WILL ONLY HAVE ITS POSITION READY FOR THE 
CFS, AND NOT EARLIER. U.S. WILLINGNESS TO COMMENT ON THE 
DRAFT DECLARATION HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED. END COMMENT. 
 
NGO PARTICIPATION -- SECURITY ISSUES 
------------------------------------- 
 
10.  A PARALLEL NGO FORUM WILL BE HELD IN NEARBY EUR (A 
SUBURB OF ROME).  THE CITY OF ROME IS HOSTING THE EVENT. 
(MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THE WEBSITE 
WWW.FORUMFOODSOVEREIGNTY.ORG)  THE FAO LIAISON FOR THIS 
EVENT TOLD MISOFF THAT SOME 600 NGOS ARE ALREADY 
REGISTERED FOR THE FORUM PLENARY.  450 NGOS WILL BE FROM 
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, AND 150 NGOS WILL BE FROM DEVELOPED 
COUNTRIES.  THE NGO PLENARY WILL MEET EVERY MORNING WITH 
A VIEW TO PRODUCING AN NGO "DECLARATION." AFTERNOONS AT 
THE NGO FORUM WILL BE DEDICATED TO WORKSHOPS ON VARIOUS 
TOPICS.  WFS5YL CREDENTIALS WILL ALLOW DELEGATES TO 
ATTEND THESE EVENTS.  A CITY-APPROVED MARCH THROUGH ROME 
IS PLANNED ON SATURDAY, JUNE 8 ON THE THEME OF "FOOD 
SOVEREIGNTY." 
 
11.  MANY OF THESE NGOS WILL ALSO BE ACCREDITED TO THE 
SUMMIT ITSELF, AND WILL HAVE TWO DEDICATED ROOMS AT THE 
FAO (ONE FOR ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS, THE OTHER FOR SIDE- 
EVENTS.)  THE NGO ORGANIZERS ASSURED MISOFF THAT THE NGOS 
ARE BEING CAREFULLY SCREENED, AND THERE WILL BE NO 
VIOLENT GROUPS ACCREDITED. FAO MANAGEMENT, FOR ITS PART, 
DECLINES TO MAKE SUCH BLANKET GUARANTEES, BUT SEEMS 
REASONABLY CONFIDENT THAT THE NGOS GATHERED AT THE WFS5YL 
ARE THERE TO SUPPORT THE EVENT, RATHER THAN DISRUPT IT. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  02565  03 OF 03  281207Z 
 
12. USEFUL WEBSITES: 
-- GENERAL FAO/WFS5YL INFORMATION :WWW.FAO.ORG 
--  PARLIAMENTARIAN'S EVENT (JUNE 11): WWW.IPU.ORG/SPLZ- 
E/WFS5.HTM 
--   NGO FORUM: WWW.FORUMFOODSOVEREIGNTY.ORG 
HEILEMAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME02565 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED