US embassy cable - 02ROME3594

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 003594 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
PARIS FOR OECD 
STATE FOR EB HANS KLEMM, IO/S PODOLSKY AND IO/EDA JOHNSON 
USDA FOR DR. TOM BILLY, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE SECRETARY 
AND STEVE HAWKINS, USDA/FSIS/ICS 
USDA/FSIS/CODEX FOR ED SCARBROUGH 
FDA/CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY, CATHY CARNEVALE 
USTR FOR RICHARD WHITE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC, ETRD, EAGR, ETRD, EAGR, ECON, FAO, WHO, ECON AORC, FAO, WHO 
SUBJECT:  FAO INVOKES HELMS-BIDEN IN RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON 
FAO/WHO CODEX EVALUATION 
 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03594  01 OF 02  221223Z 
REF:  A) SECSTATE 110496; B) ROME 3324 
 
1.  SUMMARY.  THE FAO'S DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM BUDGET AND 
EVALUATION RESPONDED AT LENGTH IN WRITING TO THE U.S. 
DEMARCHE (REFTEL B) ON THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE FAO/WHO 
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION.  OF PARTICULAR NOTE IS HIS 
COMMENT:  "I DO NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY THE U.S. SHOULD 
REQUEST AN EVALUATION WHICH IS LIMITED TO THE MANAGEMENT OF 
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS...THIS WOULD NOT SEEM IN LINE WITH THE 
PROVISIONS OF THE HELMS-BIDEN LEGISLATION WHICH CALLS ON THE 
UN SYSTEM TO EVALUATE ALL PROGRAMS WITH A VIEW TO ENSURING 
THEIR CONTINUING "RELEVANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS" AND FOR THEIR 
TERMINATION IN THE EVENT THAT THEY DO NOT MEET THIS 
CRITERIA." END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  THE FAO'S DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM BUDGET AND EVALUATION, 
TONY WADE, RESPONDED AT LENGTH IN WRITING TO THE U.S. 
DEMARCHE (REFTEL B) ON THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE FAO/WHO 
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION.  THE FULL TEXT OF HIS 
RESPONSE IS GIVEN BELOW. 
 
3.  BEGIN TEXT. 
 
JULY 15, 2002 
 
DEAR MS. HEILEMAN, 
 
I REFER TO OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS ON THE EVALUATION OF 
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS AND OTHER FAO AND WHO WORK IN FOOD 
STANDARDS, INCLUDING MY E-MAIL IN PARTICULAR, TO YOUR FAX OF 
25 JUNE 2002. WE MUCH APPRECIATE THE INTEREST THAT THE US 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03594  01 OF 02  221223Z 
AND MANY OTHER MEMBER COUNTRIES WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES 
ARE TAKING ON THIS EVALUATION, WHICH GREATLY UNDERLINES ITS 
IMPORTANCE. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE EXTENT TO WHICH CODEX 
REFLECTS DIRECTLY ON NATIONAL INTEREST HAS MEANT THAT WE 
HAVE HAD TO INSIST QUITE STRONGLY ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE 
EVALUATION FROM ANY ONE COUNTRY OR INTEREST GROUP. THE 
OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBER COUNTRIES TO DISCUSS AND ACT ON THE 
RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE EXTENSIVE IN THE FAO AND WHO 
GOVERNING BODIES AND IN CODEX ITSELF. 
 
HOWEVER  I DO NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY THE US SHOULD REQUEST 
AN  EVALUATION  WHICH IS LIMITED TO THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  THE 
CODEX  ALIMENTARIUS. IN OUR VIEW, THIS WOULD NOT SEEM TO  BE 
IN  LINE  WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE HELMS-BIDEN LEGISLATION 
WHICH CALLS ON THE UN SYSTEM TO EVALUATE ALL PROGRAMS WITH A 
VIEW   TO   ENSURING   THEIR   "CONTINUING   RELEVANCE   AND 
EFFECTIVENESS" AND FOR THEIR TERMINATION IN THE  EVENT  THAT 
THEY  DO NOT MEET THIS CRITERIA. IN POSING QUESTIONS ON  THE 
PROGRAM  PRIORITIES AND MODALITIES, THE EVALUATION DOES  NOT 
PREJUDGE THE CONCLUSIONS TO BE DRAWN. 
 
IT  IS  PERHAPS  ALSO WORTH BEARING IN  MIND  THAT,  IF  THE 
EVALUATION HAD NOT ADOPTED THIS HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE AND HAD 
INSTEAD  FOCUSED NARROWLY ON CODEX, IT WOULD  HAVE  EXCLUDED 
VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES SUCH AS THE CAPACITY BUILDING NEEDS OF 
DEVELOPING MEMBER COUNTRIES TO PROTECT THE HEALTH  OF  THEIR 
PEOPLE, MEET EXPORT REQUIREMENTS OF IMPORTING COUNTRIES  AND 
PARTICIPATE IN CODEX ITSELF. 
 
THE   FINAL  POINT  OF  THE  US  AID-MEMOIR,  EXPRESSES  THE 
EXPECTATION  THAT THE EVALUATION WILL LEAD TO WHO  PROVIDING 
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PAGE 04        ROME  03594  01 OF 02  221223Z 
INCREASED  RESOURCES FOR CODEX. IN OUR VIEW THIS  REINFORCES 
THE  NEED FOR A FULL EVALUATION. FOR BOTH FAO AND WHO IT  IS 
CLEAR THAT FOR AN EVALUATION TO JUSTIFY RESOURCE CHANGES, IT 
NEEDS  TO  TAKE  A FUNDAMENTAL LOOK AT THE USEFULNESS  OF  A 
PROGRAM TO ALL MEMBER COUNTRIES. 
 
I  THEREFORE  HAVE  TO ADVISE THAT THE EVALUATION  TERMS  OF 
REFERENCE  CANNOT  BE ADJUSTED TO REFOCUS  IT  AS  SOLELY  A 
MANAGEMENT  STUDY. HOWEVER, AS DISCUSSED WHEN THE EVALUATION 
TEAM  VISITED  WASHINGTON, AT THE FAO PROGRAM COMMITTEE  AND 
NOW  IN  THE CODEX EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, THE EVALUATION  WILL 
DEFINITELY   INCLUDE  THE  EXAMINATION  OF  MANAGEMENT   AND 
ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS AND PROCEDURES IN CODEX AND,  IN 
FACT,  THE  CHECK  LIST  OF POINTS PROVIDED  BY  THE  US  IN 
"ELEMENTS  OF  AN  APPROPRIATE CODEX  MANAGEMENT  STUDY"  IS 
HELPFUL IN THIS REGARD. 
 
IN  SOME  AREAS THE EVALUATION MAY RAISE BASIC QUESTIONS  ON 
TYPES  OF STANDARDS TO BE DEVELOPED, OR ON THE INSTITUTIONAL 
ARRANGEMENTS, WHICH MANY BE REQUIRED. THESE ARE  MATTERS  ON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ0087 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  03594  02 OF 02  221224Z 
ACTION SS-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AGRE-00  ANHR-00  EB-00    UTED-00  HHS-01   TEDE-00 
      IO-00    OIC-02   STR-00   TEST-00  SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------CE727E  221224Z /38 
R 221222Z JUL 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5004 
INFO USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2230 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 003594 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
PARIS FOR OECD 
STATE FOR EB HANS KLEMM, IO/S PODOLSKY AND IO/EDA JOHNSON 
USDA FOR DR. TOM BILLY, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE SECRETARY 
AND STEVE HAWKINS, USDA/FSIS/ICS 
USDA/FSIS/CODEX FOR ED SCARBROUGH 
FDA/CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY, CATHY CARNEVALE 
USTR FOR RICHARD WHITE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:  AORC, FAO, WHO, ETRD, EAGR, ECON 
SUBJECT:  FAO INVOKES HELMS-BIDEN IN RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON 
FAO/WHO CODEX EVALUATION 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03594  02 OF 02  221224Z 
WHICH THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION AND THE FAO AND  WHO 
GOVERNING BODIES WILL HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS BEFORE DETAILED 
CHANGES CAN BE APPROVED. 
 
WE ARE AWARE THAT THE CONSULTATION WITH MEMBERS ON THE TERMS 
OF  REFERENCE  FELL  SHORT OF YOUR EXPECTATIONS.  THERE  CAN 
ALWAYS  BE GREATER CONSULTATION AND IN THIS CASE MORE  WOULD 
CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN DESIRABLE. HOWEVER, WE ARE WORKING UNDER 
SEVERE  TIME  CONSTRAINTS TO COMPLETE THE MAIN WORK  OF  THE 
EVALUATION  IN  LINE  WITH  THE  MEETING  SCHEDULE  OF   THE 
GOVERNING  BODIES. A HIGHLY CONSULTATIVE APPROACH  IS  BEING 
FOLLOWED   IN   THE   WORK   OF   THE   EVALUATION   THROUGH 
QUESTIONNAIRES  TO ALL COUNTRIES AND OTHER  STAKEHOLDERS  AS 
WELL  AS  EXTENSIVE  COUNTRY VISITS.  TWENTY-FOUR  COUNTRIES 
THROUGHOUT  THE  WORLD  AND THE EU COMMISSION  ARE  INVOLVED 
(AFRICA:  COTE D'IVOIRE, MOZAMBIQUE, SENEGAL, SOUTH  AFRICA, 
TANZANIA;  THE  AMERICAS:  ARGENTINA  CANADA,  COSTA   RICA, 
MEXICO,  USA;  ASIA  PACIFIC: AUSTRALIA,  BANGLADESH,  FIJI, 
INDIA,  JAPAN,  PHILIPPINES, THAILAND; EUROPE:  EU,  FRANCE, 
NETHERLANDS,  HUNGARY, SWITZERLAND;  NEAR  EAST:  EGYPT  AND 
JORDAN). 
 
AS  YOU  KNOW,  THE EVALUATION WAS DISCUSSED  AT  THE  CODEX 
ALIMENTARIUS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON 26 JUNE. THIS  GAVE  THE 
OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS TO ADDRESS THE WIDE RANGE  OF  THEIR 
CONCERNS.  THE  SECTION  OF THE EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE  REPORT 
ADDRESSING THE EVALUATION ITEM IS ANNEXED FOR YOUR  EASE  OF 
REFERENCE.  YOU  WILL  SEE  THAT  THE  EXECUTIVE   COMMITTEE 
WELCOMED  THE EVALUATION AND THE RESPONSES MADE BY  FAO  AND 
WHO  ON  ENSURING REGIONAL REPRESENTATION IN THE INDEPENDENT 
EXPERT   PANEL.  MEMBERS  ALSO  RAISED  ISSUES  THAT   WOULD 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03594  02 OF 02  221224Z 
CONTRIBUTE  TO  THE  PROGRESS  OF  THE  EVALUATION  AND  ITS 
EVENTUAL  OUTCOME. AT THE SAME TIME THE REPORT DOES  REFLECT 
CERTAIN  OF YOUR CONCERNS, INCLUDING AN EMPHASIS OF SCIENCE- 
BASED CODEX STANDARDS AND THAT CONSIDERATION OF CULTURAL AND 
ETHICAL  ISSUES SHOULD NOT SIDE-LINE THE MAJOR AIMS  OF  THE 
EVALUATION. WITHOUT PRE-JUDGING THE EVALUATION, IT WOULD NOT 
BE TOO SURPRISING IF THE EVALUATION FINDINGS WERE TO CONFIRM 
THE VIEW THAT THESE ISSUES ARE NOT OF CENTRAL IMPORTANCE  TO 
CODEX. 
 
PLEASE  BE  ASSURED THAT WITH DUE REGARD TO THE INDEPENDENCE 
OF THE EVALUATION, FAO AND ITS PARTNER WHO WILL BE INSISTING 
ON  EVIDENCE-BASED FINDINGS FROM THE EVALUATION  WHICH  TAKE 
FULL   ACCOUNT   OF   MEMBERS'  VIEWS   EXPRESSED   IN   THE 
QUESTIONNAIRES AND COUNTRY VISITS. WE WILL ALSO  BE  LOOKING 
TO    THE   EVALUATION   FOR   REALISTIC   AND   OPERATIONAL 
RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH WILL HELP US STRENGTHEN FAO  AND  WHO 
SERVICES TO MEMBER COUNTRIES IN THE AREAS OF FOOD SAFETY AND 
RELATED ISSUES OF THE APPLICATION OF STANDARDS IN TRADE. 
 
WE  REMAIN  AVAILABLE FOR TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER FURTHER  AT 
YOUR CONVENIENCE AND HAVE COPIED OUR REPLY TO WHO SINCE THEY 
RECEIVED A SIMILAR LETTER FROM THE US MISSION IN GENEVA. 
 
YOURS SINCERELY, 
 
TONY WADE 
DIRECTOR 
OFFICE PROGRAM BUDGET AND EVALUATION. 
 
TAMLYN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002ROME03594 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED