US embassy cable - 03ROME3404

UNCLAS ROME 003404 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
STATE FOR IO/EDA KOTOK AND L/HRR K. GOROVE 
USAID FOR RALPH CUMMINGS 
USDA/FAS FOR HUGHES AND REICH 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC, KUNR, FAO 
SUBJECT: FAO RIGHT TO FOOD BUREAU: FIRST READING OF 
VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE BUREAU OF THE UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 
ORGANIZATION (FAO) INTERGOVERNMENTAL WORKING GROUP (IGWG) 
    FOR THE ELABORATION OF VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES TO SUPPORT 
THE PROGRESSIVE REALIZATION OF THE RIGHT TO ADEQUATE FOOD 
IN THE CONTEXT OF NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY MET JULY 9-11 
AND JULY 15 TO DISCUSS THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE VOLUNTARY 
GUIDELINES.  WHILE BUREAU MEMBERS AGREED TO FOCUS ON 
NATIONAL ACTIONS AND PRUNE OUT MOST OF THE REFERENCES TO 
INTERNATIONAL ACTORS IN THE GUIDELINES THEMSELVES, G-77 
MEMBERS FELT STRONGLY THAT AN "INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION" 
MUST FIGURE SOMEWHERE IN THE TEXT -- POSSIBLY IN THE 
PREFACE.  THE NEW DRAFT (WHICH DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN 
AGREED DOCUMENT AND CONTAINS SECTIONS WHICH HAVE NOT YET 
BEEN DISCUSSED) WILL BE WORKED ON FURTHER AT THE NEXT 
BUREAU MEETING, SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 16-18 (WITH ONE 
ADDITIONAL DAY BEFORE OR AFTER STILL TO BE DECIDED.) 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  THE BUREAU OF THE FAO IGWG FOR THE ELABORATION OF 
VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES TO SUPPORT THE PROGRESSIVE 
REALIZATION OF THE RIGHT TO ADEQUATE FOOD IN THE CONTEXT 
OF NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY MET JULY 9-11 AND JULY 15 TO 
DISCUSS THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.  THE 
BUREAU HAD BEFORE IT A 23-PAGE DRAFT PREPARED BY THE 
SECRETARIAT (E-MAILED TO IO/EDA JULY 3, 2003). BUREAU 
 
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MEMBERS AGREED THAT THE FIRST DRAFT WAS LONG, REPETITIVE, 
AND HARD TO UNDERSTAND.  BUREAU MEMBERS WORKED 
PRODUCTIVELY ON A FIRST READING OF THE DRAFT, DELETING 
LIBERALLY (THE CURRENT VERSION IS A GOOD 6 PAGES SHORTER) 
AND AGREEING TO PRUNE OUT MOST REFERENCES TO 
INTERNATIONAL ACTORS FROM THE GUIDELINES THEMSELVES.  G- 
77 BUREAU MEMBERS INSISTED, HOWEVER, THAT THEY WOULD 
REVERT TO THE ISSUE, POSSIBLY UNDER A HEADING 
    "INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORK" IN THE PREFACE.  THE GROUP 
AGREED TO DELETE THE ENTIRE SECTION ON "REMEDIES" AND 
CONSIDERABLY SOFTEN THE "MONITORING" AND "NATIONAL HUMAN 
RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS SECTIONS." 
 
3.  THE TEXT WHICH EMERGED FROM THE FIRST DRAFTING 
SESSION (E-MAILED TO IO/EDA JULY 28) DOES NOT REPRESENT 
AN AGREED TEXT.  IN FACT, THE BUREAU HAS STILL TO DISCUSS 
SOME SECTIONS.  BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT SESSION IN 
SEPTEMBER (SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 16-18, WITH AN 
ADDITIONAL DAY EITHER SEPTEMBER 15 OR 19) THE BUREAU WILL 
HAVE THE DOCUMENT TRANSLATED AND CIRCULATED TO CHAIRS OF 
REGIONAL GROUPS SO THAT BUREAU MEMBERS MAY HAVE THE 
ADVANTAGE OF REGIONAL GROUP COMMENTS BEFORE THE NEXT 
SESSION; THE SECRETARIAT WILL ALSO PROVIDE THE TEXT TO 
NGOS PRESENT AT THE IGWG AND SUMMARIZE THOSE NGO COMMENTS 
FOR THE BUREAU'S INFORMATION. 
 
COMMENT 
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4.  BUREAU MEMBERS WORKED CONSTRUCTIVELY AND WITH COMMON 
PURPOSE.  NONETHELESS, THE GUIDELINES ARE STILL A LONG 
WAY FROM THE PRACTICAL TOOL WHICH THE U.S. ENVISAGED IN 
ITS STATEMENT TO THE IGWG. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR 
WASHINGTON AGENCIES TO REVIEW THE CURRENT TEXT WITH A 
VIEW TO STRENGTHENING THE SECTIONS ON FOOD SAFETY NETS 
AND MARKETS.  END COMMENT.  TAMLYN 
 
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	2003ROME03404 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED