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P 181414Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY KYIV
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8835
INFO CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS KYIV 002018 
 
 
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/ABT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD SENV UP
 
SUBJECT: BIOTECH ATTITUDES IN CRIMEA AND SOUTHERN UKRAINE 
 
REF: STATE 77493 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. A biotechnology roadshow sparked both controversy 
and enthusiasm in Kyiv and three of Ukraine's leading agricultural 
centers.  U.S.-based biotechnology expert Michael Phillips held 
media workshops, speeches at leading agricultural universities, and 
a lengthy presentation at the Crimean Ministry of Agricultural 
Policy.  On balance, students and scientists were most receptive to 
Phillips' presentations, while the official Crimean audience reacted 
with skepticism to Phillips' pro-biotech approach.  As requested in 
reftel, a breakdown of expenditures for the program is provided in 
paragraph 9.  End summary. 
 
 
BIOTECH OUTREACH PROGRAM 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) With funding provided by a STATE/EEB grant (reftel), 
Michael Phillips toured four Ukrainian cities on October 12-16 to 
promote the use of biotechnology in agricultural production.  His 
outreach travel, organized jointly by the Economic Section and the 
Foreign Agriculture Service staff of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, was 
initiated in Kyiv, continued in Odesa and Kherson (southwestern 
Ukraine) and concluded in Simferopol, the capital of the Autonomous 
Republic of Crimea (Crimea).  Mr. Phillips spoke at events organized 
by the Ukrainian Society of Cell Biologists and Biotechnologists, 
local universities, and the Ministry of Agricultural Policy in 
Crimea.  The events featured discussions on food security and the 
economic viability of biotechnology, targeting journalists, 
scientists, and policy makers. 
 
 
JOURNALISTS SHOW MIXED ATTITUDES 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Media workshops for local journalists in Odesa, Kherson and 
Simferopol highlighted U.S. approaches to biotechnology, 
particularly U.S. regulations on labeling agricultural products. 
Phillips spoke on panels with Kyiv-based representatives of Monsanto 
and Pioneer, as well as Ukrainian scientists and experts on 
biotechnology.  About 20 journalists from local newspapers and TV 
stations attended each workshop.  In Simferopol, Mr. Phillips 
granted three exclusive interviews to local TV stations. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Journalists had mixed attitudes toward biotechnology.  Many 
questions reflected negative biases, though some participants 
appeared to desire information on the technology and its application 
in the United States.  A telling comment came from the Krymskoe Ekho 
(Echo of Crimea) newspaper, which lamented the lack of available 
information: "What do we know about GMOs?  Only that they are bad -- 
nothing more."  Articles published after the media roundtables were 
both sympathetic to and critical of biotechnology. 
 
¶5. (SBU) A Monsanto representative concluded that the media events, 
nonetheless, revealed a silver lining.  While published articles 
were often neutral or skeptical of biotechnology, not every piece 
was negative, which in itself the Monsanto representative viewed as 
progress.  This was due, he said, to the fact that Ukrainians were 
"fed up" with the "propaganda" campaign against biotechnology and 
wanted to hear alternative opinions. 
 
 
SCIENTISTS AND STUDENTS SUPPORTIVE 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Mr. Phillips visited and gave guest lectures at the 
Ukrainian Laboratory of Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products 
in Kyiv (a research institute affiliated with the National 
Agricultural University of Ukraine), the Odesa State University, the 
Kherson Agrarian University, and the Crimean Agronomy and 
Technological University in Simferopol.  Audiences (as large as 300, 
consisting of students and researchers) were typically receptive to 
the lectures and eager to discuss health and safety issues. 
 
 
CRIMEAN OFFICIALS SKEPTICAL 
--------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Mr. Phillips also gave a presentation for a dozen 
representatives of the Ministry of Agricultural Policy of Crimea. 
The First Deputy Minister dismissed the viability biotechnology, 
questioning its safety and highlighting alleged long-term harmful 
effects of products enhanced through biotechnology. 
 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Pushing against the tide of public opinion and the rhetoric 
of policy makers, Post's biotechnology outreach in Ukraine appears 
to have been appreciated by the business and scientific community. 
Despite the enormous agricultural and industrial potential for 
biotechnology applications in Ukraine, anti-biotech attitudes will 
remain rooted among local citizens, absent viable information 
campaigns and broader official endorsement.  Post would like to 
thank the Department for its continued support of biotech outreach 
programs in Ukraine. 
 
 
BUDGET 
------ 
 
¶9. (SBU) Expenditures in support of the biotechnology outreach 
totaled $7,290.12.  A cost breakdown is as follows: 
 
$2,726.10 Air Travel (roundtrip ticket from Washington, DC to Kyiv; 
one-way ticket from Kyiv to Odesa; one-way ticket from Simferopol to 
Kyiv) 
$1,400.00  Speaker Fee for Michael Phillips (7 x 200/day) 
$681.25   M&IE 
$956.99 Interpretation in Kyiv, Odesa, Kherson, and Simferopol 
$678.22  Transportation in Odesa, Kherson, and Simferopol 
$149.38 Transportation in Kyiv (UAH 1210 based on an exchange rate 
of UAH 8.1/1$ 
$118.00 Taxi to/from airport in Washington, DC 
$481.25 Accommodation in Kyiv, Odesa, Kherson, and Simferopol 
$98.93 Interpreter accommodation in Kherson and Simferopol 
 
PETTIT