US embassy cable - 02ROME3899

UNCLAS ROME 003899 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM US MISSION TO UN AGENCIES ROME 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR IO, PRM, DEPT. PLEASE PASS USAID/DCHA, USDA/FAS 
(CHAMBLISS), VIENNA ALSO FOR UNVIE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03899  01 OF 02  090535Z 
TAGS: AORC, EAID, ETRD, EAGR, EAID, ETRD, EAGR, FAO, WFP, WHO, UNAORC, FAO, WFP, WHO, UN 
SUBJECT:  FAO RELUCTANT TO CLARIFY POSITION ON GM FOOD AID, EVEN 
TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 
 
REF:  1) USUN 1978, 2) STATE 147644, 3) ROME 3676 
 
1. SUMMARY - ACTING PERMREP AND AG COUNSELOR MET WITH TOP 
LEVEL FAO OFFICIALS TO EXPRESS GRAVE CONCERN WITH 
GUIDANCE THAT IS BEING DISSEMINATED IN SOUTHERN AFRICAN 
COUNTRIES BY FAO REPRESENTATIVES.   FAO'S MIXED MESSAGE 
HAS MADE LOCAL GOV'T OFFICIALS MORE RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT 
U.S. FOOD AID LIKELY TO CONTAIN GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) 
CORN.  US PERMREP URGED FAO TO CLARIFY GUIDANCE TO THE 
FIELD.   FAO OFFICIALS PROMISED TO INFORM DIRECTOR GENERAL 
(DG) JACQUES DIOUF OF U.S. DEMARCHE, BUT WE BELIEVE 
RESPONSE MAY BE INSUFFICIENT TO REMOVE DOUBTS ABOUT GM 
CONTENT OF FOOD AID.  END SUMMARY 
 
2. US PERM REP AND AG COUNSELOR MET ON AUGUST 7 WITH SENIOR 
ADVISOR TO FAO DG MICHEL SAVINI AND ASSISTANT DG LOUISE 
FRESCO TO URGE FAO TO TAKE THE LEAD IN ALLEVIATING 
CONCERN ABOUT GM CONTENT OF U.S. FOOD AID TO SOUTHERN 
AFRICAN COUNTRIES.  THE UNITED STATES HAS RECEIVED A 
NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT REPORTS FROM RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS 
IN THE FIELD INDICATING THAT FAO REPRESENTATIVES IN THE 
REGION HAVE BEEN ADVISING GOVERNMENTS ON FOOD SAFETY 
ASPECTS OF GM CORN.  FURTHERMORE, WHAT IS MOST DISTURBING 
IS THAT THIS ADVICE MAY BE CONTRARY TO ACCEPTED FAO 
POLICY.  IT APPARENTLY DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT 
CURRENT SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE CONCEDES THAT THERE IS NO RISK 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03899  01 OF 02  090535Z 
TO HUMAN HEALTH FROM GM FOODS, A RESULT WHICH IS 
ESPECIALLY CRUCIAL IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT CRISIS IN 
SOUTHERN AFRICA.  LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN 
CONFUSED ABOUT POTENTIAL RISKS WHICH HAS GENERATED FEAR 
AND LED TO INACTION. 
 
3. SAVINI AGREED WITH U.S. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SITUATION 
IN SOUTHERN AFRICA BUT STATED FAO HAD ALREADY TAKEN 
REMEDIAL ACTION.  HE CITED THE DG'S LETTER DATED JULY 25 TO 
UN UNDER SECRETARY FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OSHIMA 
(ALSO SENT TO U/S ALAN LARSON UNDER A SEPARATE COVER 
LETTER DATED JULY 31) WHICH AIMED AT CORRECTING 
MISINFORMATION CONTAINED IN HIS JULY 10TH LETTER.  THE 
EARLIER LETTER'S REFERENCE TO THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL 
APPEARS TO BE AMONG REASONS FOR MISLEADING INFORMATION 
BEING PROVIDED BY FAO REPRESENTATIVES TO AFRICAN 
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.  IN THE U.S. VIEW, THE JULY 25 LETTER 
STILL PROVIDES NO CLEAR GUIDANCE ON FOOD SAFETY ASPECTS 
OF GM FOODS. 
 
4. FODAG OFFICIALS URGED FAO TO ISSUE CLEAR GUIDANCE TO 
REPRESENTATIVES IN ALL SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES 
AFFECTED BY DROUGHT IMMEDIATELY TO COUNTERACT CURRENT 
CONFUSION.   SAVINI REMARKED THAT THE DG COULD NOT 
ENDORSE GMO'S BEFORE THE REVIEW PROCESS UNDERWAY IN 
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS IS COMPLETED WITHOUT RISKING 
POLITICAL REPERCUSSIONS AT THE NEXT FAO COUNCIL MEETING. 
U.S. REP COUNTERED THAT THERE COULD ALSO BE ADVERSE 
REACTION IF PEOPLE ARE STARVING DUE TO THEIR GOVERNMENTS 
RELUCTANCE TO ACCEPT U.S. FOOD AID.  ADG FRESCO COMMENTED 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  03899  01 OF 02  090535Z 
THAT AT MOST, THE FAO COULD SAY THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE 
THAT ANY ILL EFFECTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO GMO'S SINCE 
GMO'S APPEARED ON THE U.S. MARKET IN THE 1990'S. 
 
5. THE U.S REPRESENTATIVES AGAIN URGED FAO TO USE ITS VOICE OF 
INTERNATIONAL RESPECT AND AUTHORITY TO SPEAK OUT 
CLEARLY AND FORCEFULLY TO POLICY MAKERS AND OTHER 
OPINION LEADERS ON THE SCIENTIFIC REALITY OF GM FOODS.  THE 
UNITED STATES BELIEVES THIS COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN 
RELIEVING HUMAN SUFFERING IN THE CURRENT CRISIS. 
 
6. SAVINI ASKED FOR SPECIFIC INSTANCES WHERE MISINFORMATION 
ALLEDGEDLY HAD BEEN PROVIDED TO HOST GOVERNMENT 
OFFICIALS BY THE FAO.  THE U.S. REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT WAS 
BESIDE THE POINT.  RATHER, ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO 
CORRECT MISINFORMATION PROMULGATED TO DATE.  SAVINI 
PROMISED TO CONVEY U.S. CONCERNS TO DG DIOUF, WHO IS OUT 
OF THE COUNTRY, BUT COULD NOT PREDICT HIS WHAT HIS 
REACTION MIGHT BE. 
 
7. COMMENT - WE ARE NOT OPTIMISTIC TANGIBLE ACTION WILL 
RESULT FROM OUR DEMARCHE, BUT WE BELIEVE WE DID BREAK 
THROUGH THE FAO'S COMPLACENT ATTITUDE.  WE ARE MORE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTO5911 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  03899  02 OF 02  090535Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00 
      COME-00  CTME-00  USNW-00  DODE-00  ITCE-00  WHA-00   SRPP-00 
      EB-00    EXME-00  EUR-00   OIGO-00  E-00     UTED-00  VC-00 
      FRB-00   HHS-01   H-01     SSA-01   TEDE-00  INR-00   ITC-01 
      L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-01   OIC-02 
      OMB-01   OPIC-01  ACE-00   SP-00    SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00 
      TRSE-00  USIE-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00 
        /013W 
                  ------------------D6CFF1  090535Z /38 
R 090531Z AUG 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5324 
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 
SADC COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
USMISSION GENEVA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 003899 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM US MISSION TO UN AGENCIES ROME 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR IO, PRM, DEPT. PLEASE PASS USAID/DCHA, USDA/FAS 
(CHAMBLISS), VIENNA ALSO FOR UNVIE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03899  02 OF 02  090535Z 
TAGS: AORC, EAID, ETRD, EAGR, FAO, WFP, WHO, UN 
 
SUBJECT:  FAO RELUCTANT TO CLARIFY POSITION ON GM FOOD AID, EVEN 
TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 
 
CONFIDENT THAT WFP ED, JIM MORRIS, WHO WAS RECENTLY 
NAMED SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UN SECRETARY 
GENERAL FOR THE DROUGHT IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, WILL ACT 
SWIFTLY.  WE UNDERSTAND MORRIS HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH 
TAKING ACTION IN CONSULTATION WITH FAO AND WHO. 
HOWEVER, HE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WAITING FOR THESE OTHER 
UN AGENCIES TO WAKE UP TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN SOUTHERN 
AFRICA AND POTENTIALLY DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CURRENT 
DROUGHT BEFORE HE STARTS THE RELIEF EFFORT.  END COMMENT. 
HEILEMAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002ROME03899 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED