US embassy cable - 02ROME5540

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 005540 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
SENSITIVE 
USUN FOR US REP TO ECOSOC AMBASSADOR SEN 
USMISSION GENEVA FOR AMBASSADOR MOLEY 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS AND AA/DCHA WINTER 
STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, ACTING A/S IO WOOD, IO/EDA WINNICK 
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS 
USEU BRUSSELS 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05540  01 OF 02  141312Z 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EAGR, AORC, PREF, EU, WFP, UN, EUEAID, WFP, UN 
SUBJECT: WFPASKS SUPPORT OF SECRETARY GENERAL ANNAN TO 
REMOVEJEAN ZIEGLER, UN SPECIAL REPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT T 
FOOD 
 
REF: (A) STATE 206314 
 
SENSITIVE BUT NCLASSIFIED - PLEASE TREAT ACCORDINGLY 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (SBU) WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECOR JAMES MORRIS IN A LETTER TO 
UN SECRETARY-GENERL KOFI ANNAN (DATED OCTOBER 24) 
UNDERLINED THAT HE UN'S SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO 
FOOD JEAN ZIEGLER) IS SERIOUSLY DAMAGING THE EFFORTS OFTHE 
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM TO RESPOND TO FOOD CRISESAROUND THE 
WORLD, AND PARTICULARLY NOW IN SOUTHER AFRICA. MORRIS' 
LETTER HIGHLIGHTS A NUMBER OF PRCEIVED PUBLIC MISSTATEMENTS 
MADE BY ZIEGLER, TOTHE DETRIMENT OF THE WORK OF THE UN. 
MORRIS' LETER IS COPIED TO SERGIO VIEIRA DE MELLO (THE UN 
HGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS) FOR HIS CONSIDERATION. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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2. (SBU) USMISSION CALLED WFP REGARDING A RECENT REUTERS 
GENEVA NEWS REPORT ENTITLED "U.N. FOOD ENVOY QUESTIONS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05540  01 OF 02  141312Z 
SAFETY OF GENE CROPS" AND A GENEVA INTER PRESS SERVICE VIA 
NEWSEDGE CORPORATION RELEASE, "DEVELOPMENT/FOOD EXPERT SAYS 
WORLD BANK BLOCKS PROGRESS." WFP'S NEIL GALLAGHER (PLEASE 
PROTECT) RESPONDED BY PROVIDING MISSION WITH THE FOLLOWING 
LETTER: 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
TEXT OF LETTER FROM WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JAMES T. MORRIS 
TO UN SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN, DATED OCTOBER 24 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
3. (SBU) "DEAR MR. SECRETARY-GENERAL: KNOWING HOW BUSY YOU 
ARE, I REGRET HAVING TO TAKE YOUR TIME ON THIS ISSUE, BUT 
SINCE I ARRIVED HERE AT THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME, I HAVE 
BEEN FOLLOWING WITH SOME CONCERN THE PUBLIC STATEMENTS OF 
JEAN ZIEGLER, THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD. 
IN PARTICULAR, I WAS DISTURBED BY THE ATTACHED RELEASE BY 
REUTERS WHICH GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT MR. ZIEGLER SPEAKS 
ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED NATIONS.  YOU WILL NOTE IN THE TEXT 
THAT MR. ZIEGLER HAS ATTACKED THE AGREED POSITION OF THE 
UNITED NATIONS AND THE VIEWS OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF WHO 
ON GM/BIOTECH FOODS AND HE HAS DONE SO WITHOUT CITING ANY 
SCIENTIFIC AUTHORITIES, STUDIES OR REPORTS.  WFP STAFF IN 
GENEVA CONFIRMED DIRECTLY WITH HIM THAT THE SUBSTANCE OF THE 
REUTERS REPORT WAS CORRECT AND THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN 
MISQUOTED. 
 
THE LAST THING WE NEED RIGHT NOW IN SOUTHERN AFRICA - OR 
ANYWHERE FOR THAT MATTER - IS FOR SOMEONE WHOSE CREDENTIALS 
ARE IN SOCIOLOGY AND LAW TO PASS JUDGMENT ON THE SCIENTIFIC 
COMPETENCY OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION OR OTHER UN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05540  01 OF 02  141312Z 
BODIES WHICH HAVE STUDIED THE ISSUE OF GM FOODS WITH CARE 
AND CONTINUE TO DO SO.  IT IS ESPECIALLY DISTURBING WHEN THE 
MEDIA ASSOCIATES THESE VIEWS DIRECTLY WITH THE UNITED 
NATIONS.  DOES MR. ZIEGLER SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THAT IF GM 
FOODS ARE BANNED FROM FOOD AID THAT NO ONE WILL GO HUNGRY 
WHEN NEARLY 70 PERCENT OF GLOBAL FOOD AID COMES FROM 
COUNTRIES WHERE MAIZE AND SOY ARE VERY OFTEN GM AND 60 TO 70 
PERCENT OF PROCESSED FOODS HAVE SOME BIOTECH CONTENT? 
 
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST DISTURBING PUBLIC PRONOUNCEMENT BY MR. 
ZIEGLER THAT HAS MADE IT HARDER RATHER THAN EASIER FOR WFP 
TO HELP HUNGRY PEOPLE FULFILL THEIR RIGHT TO FOOD IN 
EMERGENCIES.  MY PREDECESSOR, CATHERINE BERTINI, WROTE TO 
YOU EARLIER ABOUT HIS STATEMENTS PROMOTING THE IDEA THAT 
FOOD AID WAS BEING DIVERTED TO THE MILITARY AND ENDORSING 
THE WITHDRAWAL OF AID BY NGOS LIKE MSF FROM NORTH KOREA 
BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT THERE REFUSED TO GRANT AID WORKERS 
COMPLETE ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.  WELL, WE AGREE THAT 
FULL ACCESS MUST REMAIN THE SHARED GOAL OF ALL HUMANITARIAN 
WORKERS IN THE DPRK, BUT PLAYING POLITICS WITH AID IS 
PROFOUNDLY IMMORAL.  TO WITHDRAW FOOD AID AND MEDICINE FROM 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ5278 
 
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ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AGRE-00  AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      EUR-00   UTED-00  TEDE-00  INR-00   L-00     MMP-00   NSAE-00 
      NSCE-00  OES-00   OIC-02   TEST-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   SAS-00 
        /004W 
                  ------------------0858CE  141345Z /38 
P 141158Z NOV 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6909 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 
USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
USEU BRUSSELS 2953 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 005540 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
SENSITIVE 
USUN FOR US REP TO ECOSOC AMBASSADOR SEN 
USMISSION GENEVA FOR AMBASSADOR MOLEY 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS AND AA/DCHA WINTER 
STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, ACTING A/S IO WOOD, IO/EDA WINNICK 
USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS 
USEU BRUSSELS 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05540  02 OF 02  141312Z 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, WFP, UN, PREF, EU 
SUBJECT: WFP ASKS SUPPORT OF SECRETARY GENERAL ANNAN TO 
REMOVE JEAN ZIEGLER, UN SPECIAL REPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO 
FOOD 
 
NEEDY PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS OF ANY REGIME IS 
UNCONSCIONABLE. 
 
POLITICS CAN ASSIST OR IMPEDE EFFORTS TO SEE THAT PEOPLE 
HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD.  I WOULD SUBMIT THAT THE CLEARLY 
INFLAMMATORY POLITICS PLAYED BY MR. ZIEGLER HAS HAD A 
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THE HUNGRY - DONORS HAVE 
CERTAINLY QUESTIONED WFP AFTER HIS INTERVENTIONS ON THE DPRK 
AND SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
 
IN FACT, AS YOU WELL KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE TROUBLE 
RAISING RESOURCES FOR THE DPRK AND HAVE RECENTLY BEEN FORCED 
TO CUT THE RATIONS OF 3 MILLION CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY. 
 
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ANOTHER RELEASE 
BY INTERPRESS SERVICE (ATTACHED).  WHILE WE APPRECIATED HIS 
COMPLIMENT TO WFP AND DO NOT DISAGREE WITH SEVERAL POINTS HE 
MAKES, DOES MR. ZIEGLER BELIEVE THAT REPEATED PUBLIC 
RAILINGS AGAINST THE BRETTON WOODS INSTITUTIONS AND 
MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO COOPERATE 
WITH THE UNITED NATIONS IN PROMOTING THE RIGHT TO FOOD?  HIS 
PUBLIC STATEMENTS AND THE REPORTS HE HAS SUBMITTED TO THE 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHOW A SERIOUS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF 
ECONOMICS AND THE DETAILS OF THE FOOD SITUATION IN THE AREAS 
HE PROFESSES TO ANALYZE ON BEHALF OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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I HAVE COPIED THIS LETTER TO MR. SERGIO DE MELLO FOR HIS 
CONSIDERATION.  I HOPE YOU WILL GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO THE 
POSSIBILITY OF DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE WITH HIM.  THERE ARE SO 
MANY TALENTED, RESPONSIBLE, AND HUMANE PEOPLE WHO COULD DO 
AN EXCELLENT JOB AS THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO 
FOOD.  AT THE INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE 
AND AT MAJOR UNIVERSITIES, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF EXPERTS WHO 
UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF FOOD SECURITY ISSUES AND WHOSE 
CAREERS HAVE DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT - NOT TO PUBLICITY - 
BUT TO FINDING SOLUTIONS TO THE CHRONIC HUNGER THAT STILL 
AFFLICTS THE LIVES OF SO MANY OF THE WORLD'S POOR. 
SINCERELY, JAMES MORRIS, WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR." END TEXT 
OF WFP LETTER. 
 
4. (U) NOTE: FOR PURPOSES OF THIS CABLE, THE NEWS REPORTS 
REFERRED TO IN MORRIS' LETTER ARE NOT ATTACHED BUT WILL BE 
FAXED OR E-MAILED BY USMISSION UPON REQUEST. END NOTE. 
 
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COMMENT 
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5. (SBU) WFP'S ACTING DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JEAN JACQUES 
GRAISSE REPORTEDLY MET INFORMALLY WITH UN HUMAN RIGHTS HIGH 
COMMISSIONER VIEIRA DE MELLO ON THE ZIEGLER "PROBLEM." DE 
MELLO REPORTEDLY EXPRESSED CONSIDERABLE EXASPERATION WITH 
ZIEGLER SAYING THAT THE MAN HAD TAKEN UP HALF OF HIS (I.E., 
DE MELO'S) TIME SINCE ENTERING OFFICE, BUT BLAMING THE 
MEMBER STATES FOR SELECTING HIM. USMISSION FULLY ENDORSES 
THE POSITION TAKEN BY WFP'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STATE 
REFTEL CITED ABOVE. HALL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002ROME05540 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED