This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 000895 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FOR FAS/LYNN REICH AND DICK HUGHES 
STATE FOR E STAFF, IO/EDA ROSE BERSTEIN 
USAID FOR RALPH CUMMINGS AND ROB BERTRAM 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC EAID EAID EAID FAO AGR AORC FAO AGR AORC FAO AGR
SUBJECT:  WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER STATE OF 
PLAY 
 
REF: A)ROME 815; B)ROME 164; C)01 ROME 6045; D) 01 ROME 
 
4929; E) ROME 106 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY. THE RESCHEDULED UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  00895  01 OF 03  221143Z 
ORGANIZATION (FA0) WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER 
(WFS5YL) WILL MEET JUNE 10-13 IN ROME.  THE FAO COMMITTEE 
ON WORLD FOOD SECURITY (MEETING IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE 
WFS5YL) WILL NEGOTIATE THE WFS5YL DECLARATION.  THE 
DECLARATION IS  CURRENTLY A PATCHWORK OF REGIONAL AND G- 
77 WISH-LISTS AND WILL REQUIRE MUCH WORK IF IT IS TO 
ACTUALLY ADVANCE THE ORIGINAL WORLD FOOD SUMMIT PLAN OF 
ACTION.  THE U.S. IS LIKELY TO BE ISOLATED IN OPPOSING 
DECLARATION LANGUAGE SUPPORTING AN FAO "CODE OF CONDUCT 
ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD"  WHICH MANY COUNTRIES SEE AS A 
MORAL IMPERATIVE AND A SUMMIT "DELIVERABLE."  FAO 
REGIONAL CONFERENCES ARE ALSO MEETING PRIOR TO THE WFS5YL 
AND THE FAO DIRECTOR GENERAL SEEKS FROM THEM SUPPORT FOR 
HIS PROPOSAL FOR A "GLOBAL COALITION AGAINST HUNGER;" BUT 
THE CONFERENCES ARE MORE LIKELY TO FOCUS ON REGIONAL 
ISSUES SUCH AS NEPAD, HIV/AIDS AND TSE TSE FLY 
ERADICATION (AFRICA) AND TRADE LIBERALIZATION (LATIN 
AMERICA).  PLENARY STATEMENTS, ROUNDTABLES, NGO 
MULTISTAKEHOLDER DIALOGUES, PARLIAMENTARIANS MEETINGS AND 
HIGH-LEVEL PANELS DURING THE WFS5YL WILL PROVIDE AN 
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE U.S. TO HIGHLIGHT POSITIONS ON 
POVERTY ALLEVIATION, BIOTECH, FOOD AID AND AGRICULTURAL 
TRADE ISSUES.  USG SUPPORT FOR RECENT FAO REQUESTS FOR 
ASSISTANCE IN BIOTECH WOULD PROVIDE A GOOD ENTRY POINT 
FOR ILLUSTRATING HOW THE U.S. SUPPORTS INITIATIVES TO 
IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN REGIONS SUCH AS 
AFRICA THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY.  END SUMMARY. 
 
WFS5YL LEAD UP 
------------- 
¶2.  THE LEAD UP TO THE JUNE 10-13 WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  00895  01 OF 03  221143Z 
AND A HALF YEARS LATER (WFS5YL) COMPRISES THE FOLLOWING: 
 
-- REGULARLY SCHEDULED FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCES:  AFRICAN 
CONFERENCE IN CAIRO: FEB 4-8; NEAR EAST CONFERENCE IN 
TEHRAN: MARCH 9-13; LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN 
CONFERENCE IN HAVANA: APRIL 22-26; ASIA AND PACIFIC 
CONFERENCE IN KATHMANDU: MAY 13-17; EUROPEAN CONFERENCE 
IN NICOSIA: MAY 27-30. THE NORTH AMERICAN REGION (U.S. 
AND CANADA) DOES NOT HAVE A REGIONAL CONFERENCE; THE U.S. 
PARTICIPATES AS A MEMBER OF THE ASIA AND PACIFIC 
CONFERENCE AND AS AN OBSERVER AT THE OTHER CONFERENCES. 
FODAG AND/OR USDA WILL ATTEND THE AFRICA CONFERENCE, THE 
ASIA CONFERENCE, THE LATIN AMERICAN CONFERENCE AND THE 
EUROPEAN CONFERENCE. 
 
-- JUNE 6-8 SESSION OF THE FAO'S COMMITTEE ON WORLD FOOD 
SECURITY (CFS), THE BODY CHARGED WITH WFS FOLLOW-UP. 
THE CFS DATES WERE CHANGED TO ALLOW IT TO SERVE AS THE 
"PREPCOM" FOR THE WFS5YL. 
 
REGIONAL CONFERENCES 
-------------------- 
¶3.  THE REPORTS OF THE REGIONAL CONFERENCES (NORMALLY 
SUBMITTED TO THE FAO COUNCIL) WILL BE SUBMITTED FOR 
INFORMATION TO THE WFS5YL.  IF THE RECENTLY-CONCLUDED 
AFRICAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE (REFTEL A) IS ANY GUIDE, 
DELEGATES AT THOSE CONFERENCES WILL HIGHLIGHT AREAS OF 
PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO THE FOOD SECURITY OF THE REGION. 
(AFRICAN CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS HIGHLIGHTED NEPAD, TSE 
TSE FLY ERADICATION AND HIV/AIDS.) FAO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR 
 
SIPDIS 
GENERAL FOR WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FOLLOW UP, KAY 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  00895  01 OF 03  221143Z 
KILLINGSWORTH, TOLD MISOFFS 1/15 THAT THE DIRECTOR 
GENERAL (DG) ALSO HOPED THAT THE CONFERENCES WOULD 
"CONCEPTUALIZE" HIS PROPOSED "GLOBAL COALITION AGAINST 
HUNGER" (REFTEL B).  SHE ADMITTED THAT, ABSENT AN AGENDA 
ITEM OR DOCUMENTATION ON THE ISSUE AT THE REGIONAL 
CONFERENCES, SUCH "CONCEPTUALIZATION" MIGHT BE THIN. 
(COMMENT: THE DG URGED SUPPORT FOR THE COALITION IN HIS 
STATEMENT TO THE AFRICAN CONFERENCE, BUT PARTICIPANTS 
THEMSELVES DID NOT MENTION IT.  END COMMENT). 
 
COMMITTEE ON WORLD FOOD SECURITY (CFS) JUNE 6-8 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶4. THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM FOR THE CFS WILL BE 
NEGOTIATION AND CONCLUSION OF THE WFS5YL DECLARATION, 
MOST LIKELY IN AN OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP (OEWG).  THE 
DOCUMENT, AS IT EMERGED FROM THE 199TH COUNCIL SESSION 
OEWG, IS REPLETE WITH BRACKETS AND INCLUDES TEXT WHICH, 
AS A RESULT OF TIME CONSTRAINTS, NEVER EVEN HAD A FIRST 
READING BY THE OEWG.  THE DECLARATION AS A WHOLE IS 
UNBALANCED AND AT THIS STAGE OFFERS LITTLE IN THE WAY OF 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ5761 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  00895  02 OF 03  221143Z 
ACTION SSO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AGRE-00  AID-00   ANHR-00  E-00     TEDE-00  IO-00 
      OIC-02   SS-00    TEST-00  SAS-00     /002W 
                  ------------------6A5A1B  221143Z /38 
R 221113Z FEB 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2349 
INFO USDA FAS WASHDC 2017 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 000895 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FOR FAS/LYNN REICH AND DICK HUGHES 
STATE FOR E STAFF, IO/EDA ROSE BERSTEIN 
USAID FOR RALPH CUMMINGS AND ROB BERTRAM 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC EAID EAID EAID FAO AGR AORC FAO AGR AORC FAO AGR
SUBJECT:  WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER STATE OF 
PLAY 
 
SUBSTANCE TO ADVANCE THE ORIGINAL ROME DECLARATION AND 
PLAN OF ACTION. 
 
¶5.  OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THE USG ARE: 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  00895  02 OF 03  221143Z 
 
- UNDISCUSSED TEXT PROPOSING A CODE OF CONDUCT ON THE 
RIGHT TO FOOD; 
- TEXT IN BRACKETS WHICH GOES FURTHER ON "THE RIGHT TO 
FOOD" THAN THE U.S. WAS ABLE TO ACCEPT AT THE WORLD FOOD 
SUMMIT; 
- LANGUAGE ON FOOD SAFETY WHICH COULD UNDERMINE THE PRE- 
EMINENCE OF CODEX ALIMENTARIUS IN ESTABLISHING FOOD 
SAFETY STANDARDS; 
- TEXT IN BRACKETS ON THE UPCOMING TRADE ROUND ENDORSING 
SPECIAL TREATMENT FOR AGRICULTURE IN DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES; 
- LACK OF ADEQUATE LANGUAGE ON CREATING ENABLING 
ENVIRONMENTS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH; 
- LANGUAGE ON HUNGER WHICH UNDERMINES THE MILLENIUM 
SUMMIT POVERTY REDUCTION LANGUAGE. 
 
RIGHT TO FOOD 
-------------- 
¶6.  AS DISCUSSED IN REFTEL D, THE PROPOSED CODE OF 
CONDUCT ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD REDIRECTS THE FOCUS OF FOOD 
SECURITY AWAY FROM NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ADVANCES 
THE ARGUMENT THAT INTERNATIONAL ACTORS AND THE PRIVATE 
SECTOR HAVE SPECIFIC LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN PROMOTING 
AND PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO FOOD.  THE U.S. WILL BE 
CHALLENGED TO SHAPE THE RIGHT TO FOOD DEBATE IN A 
POSITIVE WAY DURING THE WFS5YL IN THE FACE OF WIDESPREAD 
NGO SUPPORT AND A COALITION OF COUNTRIES (PRIMARILY 
LATIN, BUT ALSO NORWAY AND ITALY) WHO SEE RIGHT TO FOOD 
AS A MORAL IMPERATIVE AND A SUMMIT "DELIVERABLE." 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  00895  02 OF 03  221143Z 
OTHER CFS ITEMS 
----------------- 
¶7.  THE CFS WILL ALSO REVIEW RESPONSES FROM COUNTRIES ON 
COMMITMENTS 3,4,6 AND RELEVANT PARTS OF 7 OF THE WORLD 
FOOD SUMMIT (WFS) PROGRAM OF ACTION.  (THESE COMMENTS, -- 
INCLUDING FROM THE UNITED STATES (REFTEL C) -- WERE DUE 
JANUARY 31.) (COMMENT: CFS EFFECTIVENESS IN FOLLOWING UP 
THE WFS COMMITMENTS HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY THE POOR 
RESPONSE FROM COUNTRIES, AND FAO SENIOR MANAGEMENT DOES 
NOT HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR AN IMPROVED RESPONSE RATE AT THE 
UPCOMING SESSION. END COMMENT). 
 
LEVEL OF ATTENDANCE 
-------------------- 
¶8.  IT IS TOO EARLY TO GIVE AN ESTIMATE OF EXPECTED 
ATTENDANCE BY HEADS OF STATE.  WE HAVE HEARD HEADS OF 
STATE OF URUGUAY AND COLOMBIA MAY ATTEND.  ARGENTINA, 
CHILE, BRAZIL AND PERU ARE NOT EXPECTED TO SEND HEADS OF 
STATE. AFRICA IS EXPECTED TO BE WELL REPRESENTED.  OECD 
REPRESENTATIVES IN ROME DO NOT HAVE A GOOD IDEA ABOUT 
OECD REPRESENTATION, ALTHOUGH WE UNDERSTAND THAT SPANISH 
PRESIDENT AZNAR MAY ATTEND (SPAIN WILL BE HEADING THE 
EU).  BRIEF APPEARANCES BY THE ITALIAN PRESIDENT AND 
PRIME MINISTER ARE EXPECTED. 
 
WFS5YL SIDE EVENTS 
------------------- 
¶9. THREE WFS5YL ROUNDTABLES ARE SCHEDULED.  EACH COUNTRY 
IS INVITED TO ATTEND ONE ROUNDTABLE (ALL ROUNDTABLES WILL 
DISCUSS THE SAME CFS-ENDORSED TOPIC: "WFS PLAN OF ACTION 
-- RESULTS ACHIEVED, OBSTACLES MET, AND MEANS OF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  00895  02 OF 03  221143Z 
OVERCOMING THEM"). AN NGO MULTISTAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE WILL 
TAKE PLACE DURING THE WEEK.  A HIGH-LEVEL PANEL WITH 
INVITED GUESTS ON "POLITICAL WILL" (POSTPONED SINCE FALL 
2001) IS EXPECTED TO BE SCHEDULED DURING THE SESSION. THE 
ITALIAN HOSTS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO ORGANIZE A 
PARLIAMENTARIANS SESSION. 
 
NGO ARRANGEMENTS 
----------------- 
¶10.  WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT SECURITY AND ACCREDITATION 
PROCEDURES WILL NEED TO BE MUCH TIGHTER THAN DURING THE 
FIRST WFS, FAO ORGANIZERS APPEAR RELATIVELY RELAXED ABOUT 
THE UPCOMING EVENT (PARTLY AS A RESULT OF HAVING 
ESSENTIALLY GONE THROUGH A DRY RUN IN 2001).  THEY ARE 
NEGOTIATING PLACEMENT OF AN NGO FORUM IN A SITE A 15 
MINUTE WALK FROM FAO (THE FORMER ROME CITY ABATTOIR) AND 
HAVE REITERATED THAT THE NGO'S COMING TO THE WFS5YL ARE 
"NOT ANTI-FAO" (IN CONTRAST TO THE 2001 GENOA G-8 SUMMIT 
WHICH MANY NGO DEMONSTRATORS HOPED TO CLOSE DOWN). 
(COMMENT:  WE EXPECT ANTI-GMO PROTESTORS TO BE OUT IN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ5763 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  00895  03 OF 03  221143Z 
ACTION SSO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AGRE-00  AID-00   ANHR-00  E-00     TEDE-00  IO-00 
      OIC-02   SS-00    TEST-00  SAS-00     /002W 
                  ------------------6A5A1E  221143Z /38 
R 221113Z FEB 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2350 
INFO USDA FAS WASHDC 2018 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 000895 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FOR FAS/LYNN REICH AND DICK HUGHES 
STATE FOR E STAFF, IO/EDA ROSE BERSTEIN 
USAID FOR RALPH CUMMINGS AND ROB BERTRAM 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC EAID EAID EAID FAO AGR AORC FAO AGR AORC FAO AGR
SUBJECT:  WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FIVE YEARS LATER STATE OF 
PLAY 
 
FORCE. END COMMENT) 
 
COMMENT 
-------- 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  00895  03 OF 03  221143Z 
¶11. U.S. PLENARY INTERVENTIONS AND PARTICIPATION IN SIDE 
EVENTS AND OTHER EVENTS (SUCH AS PRESS CONFERENCES) 
PROVIDE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ARTICULATE U.S. POSITIONS 
ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION, THE IMPORTANCE OF BIOTECH FOR 
IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES, THE UPCOMING AGRICULTURAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS, 
AND USE OF FOOD AID. WE EXPECT THAT MEDIA INTEREST WILL 
BE HIGH, AND USDELS (INCLUDING NGO AND CONGRESSIONAL 
DELEGATES) SHOULD BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT 
WITH ITALIAN AUDIENCES (AND MEDIA) ON BIOTECH AND OTHER 
TOPICS OF BILATERAL AS WELL AS MULTILATERAL INTEREST.  IN 
THIS REGARD, WE WOULD HOPE THAT RECENT FAO REQUESTS FOR 
U.S. SUPPORT FOR A BIOTECH NETWORK IN AFRICA, AND FOR 
ASSISTANCE IN DEVELOPING A BIOTECH IPR STRATEGY (REFTEL 
E) MIGHT BE GIVEN A FAVORABLE RECEPTION BY INTERESTED USG 
AGENCIES.  THESE LOW COSTS PROJECTS MIGHT SERVE AS A GOOD 
MEETING POINT BETWEEN OUR RHETORIC AND THE MEETING AT 
HAND. HEILEMAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME00895 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED