US embassy cable - 02HARARE2061

UNCLAS HARARE 002061 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KPAO, KMDR, ZI 
SUBJECT: G0VERNMENT PAPER 
 
 
  1.   Under headline "Correct labeling of GM food a must" 
      the government-owned daily "Herald" uses its September 7 
      editorial as a petulant parting shot at food assistance 
      from the U.S. Excerpts: 
 
  2.   "Now that government has accepted genetically modified 
      food aid from the American Government, it is imperative 
      that this food be appropriately labeled to give consumers 
      and aid beneficiaries a choice to either starve or risk 
      eating it.  The measures that have been put in place to 
      quarantine the American maize and closely monitor its 
      transport, milling and distribution will certainly go a 
      long way in protecting the country's agricultural industry 
      from contamination.  However, without any conclusive 
      evidence on the effects of GMOs on human beings, the 
      responsibility of eating this food now lies with the 
      individual consumer and aid beneficiary.  If government had 
      its way and enough resources to source and import clean 
      maize to feed the entire nation, it would definitely not 
      risk the health of its people. . .  So the final 
      responsibility lies with Zimbabweans themselves to either 
      eat or not provided they have adequate information warning 
      consumers that this food is genetically engineered. . ." 
 
SULLIVAN