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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001405 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
EB/TPP/ATT FOR PEREZ, EUR/ERA. E FOR SHUB 
STATE PASS USTR FOR NOVELLI 
USDA FOR FAS/OA/TERPSTRA AND SLUTSKY 
USDA FOR ITP/SHEIKH AND MACKE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01405  01 OF 02  191803Z 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD IT ETRD IT WTOEAGR WTO
SUBJECT: BIOTECH: SUGGESTION FOR GETTING ITALY'S ATTENTION 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST.  POST SEES AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE OUR AGRICULTURE BIOTECH AGENDA FORWARD BY 
LINKING IT TO THE GOI HIGH-PRIORITY GEOGRAPHIC INDICATOR (GI) 
AGENDA AND INVITES DEPARTMENT'S THOUGHTS ON SUCH A LINKAGE. 
THE GOI REGULARLY PREACHES THAT MORE THAN 200 PRODUCTS NAMED 
AFTER THEIR ITALIAN REGIONS OF ORIGIN (CHIANTI, PARMIGIANA, 
ETC.) SHOULD BE PROTECTED BY PRECLUDING COMMERCIAL USE OF 
THOSE NAMES ON PRODUCTS ORIGINATING ELSEWHERE.  THE GOI 
AGGRESSIVELY SEEKS WHATEVER LEVEL OF USG SUPPORT ON GIS IT 
CAN GET IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FLEDGLING WTO SECTOR 
NEGOTIATIONS.  ALTHOUGH THE GOI HAS NEVER LINKED GIS AND 
BIOTECH IN DISCUSSION WITH US, WE HAVE NOTICED RECENTLY A 
DISTURBING TENDENCY AMONG ITALIAN ANTI-BIOTECH FORCES TO 
PRESUME THAT BIOTECH CONTENT WOULD DISQUALIFY AN ITALIAN 
PRODUCT FROM ELIGIBILITY FOR "TRADITIONAL PRODUCT" STATUS OR 
GI PROTECTION.  WE ARE EVEN MORE DISTURBED THAT THE 
AGRICULTURE MINISTER AND A LARGE PORTION OF THE PARLIAMENT 
SEEM TO ENDORSE THIS NOTION.  POST PROPOSES TO DRAW 
HIGH-LEVEL GOI ATTENTION TO THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF USG AND 
GOI INTERESTS, ESSENTIALLY INFORMING THE ITALIANS THAT THE 
USG CAN HARDLY HELP THEM CREATE A PROTECTED MARKET ONLY TO 
CUT U.S. COMPANIES OUT OF IT.  PARA SIX CONTAINS AN ACTION 
REQUEST.  END SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST. 
 
THE PROBLEM: THE ITALIANS ARE GLAD-HANDING US 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01405  01 OF 02  191803Z 
 
¶2. (SBU) FOR SEVERAL MONTHS MISSION HAS BEEN PERPLEXED BY THE 
GOI'S CONTINUED RELUCTANCE TO CONVERT PM BERLUSCONI'S 
POSITIVE BUT GENERAL COMMENTS ON BIOTECH INTO SUSTAINABLE 
POLICY CHANGES IN EITHER ROME OR BRUSSELS.  WE CONCLUDE THAT 
THE GOI -- ALTHOUGH RECOGNIZING BIOTECH'S POTENTIAL TO FOSTER 
THIRD WORLD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TO STIMULATE THE ITALIAN 
ECONOMY -- REMAINS UNCONVINCED THAT BIOTECH PROMISES THE KIND 
OF IMMEDIATE RETURN THAT WOULD JUSTIFY PAYING THE IMMEDIATE 
POLITICAL PRICE OF ANTAGONIZING AN ITALIAN PUBLIC THAT IS 
STILL VERY ANTI-BIOTECH.  IN BRIEF, EVEN OSTENSIBLY 
PRO-BIOTECH ITALIAN OFFICIALS HAVE LARGELY SEEN THIS AS A USG 
ISSUE RATHER THAN A VISCERAL GOI CONCERN.  ALTHOUGH SOME 
INDIVIDUAL GOI OFFICIALS TRULY WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE BIOTECH 
POLICY, THE OVERALL GOI APPROACH HAS BEEN TO PLACATE US. 
 
THE OPENING: HELP US TO HELP YOU 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶3. (SBU) POST HAS RECENTLY SPOTTED A POTENTIAL OPENING 
IRONICALLY BORN OF THE TENDENCY OF ANTI-BIOTECH FORCES HERE 
TO TAKE THE PLAYING FIELD FOR GRANTED.  SOME MONTHS AGO 
BIOTECH OPPONENTS WITHIN PARLIAMENT INTRODUCED LEGISLATION 
THAT WOULD DISQUALIFY ANY ITALIAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT MADE 
EVEN IN PART WITH BIOTECH INPUTS FROM CONSIDERATION FOR 
REGISTRATION AS "TRADITIONAL" IN VARIOUS GOI PROGRAMS.  NOTE. 
 ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, SOME 3,000 ITALIAN PRODUCTS CARRY SOME 
VARIATION OF THE "TRADITIONAL" DESIGNATION OF WHICH SLIGHTLY 
MORE THAN 200 HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD BY THE GOI FOR 
INTERNATIONAL GI PROTECTION.  END NOTE.   SINCE NO BIOTECH 
CROPS CAN BE COMMERCIALLY CULTIVATED IN ITALY ANYWAY, THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01405  01 OF 02  191803Z 
LEGISLATION WAS LITTLE NOTED IN THE PRESS, QUICKLY GATHERED 
MORE THAN 200 SPONSORS IN PARLIAMENT, AND BROUGHT MINISTER OF 
AGRICULTURE ALEMANNO INTO ITS FOLD.  THE BILL MORE RECENTLY 
SEEMS TO BE STUCK IN THE BYZANTINE WORLD OF THE ITALIAN 
LEGISLATURE BUT NOT BECAUSE OF ANY OPPOSITION OF WHICH WE ARE 
AWARE. 
 
¶4. (SBU) IN AN OSTENSIBLY UNRELATED DEVELOPMENT, MINISTER 
ALEMANNO HAS RECENTLY CIRCULATED FOR GOI AND INDUSTRY COMMENT 
A DRAFT DOCUMENT ENTITLED "TRANSGENIC ORGANISMS AND 
AGRICULTURE: TIME FOR CHOICES."  THE 37-PAGE DRAFT DOES NOT 
RENEW THE CALL TO PRECLUDE BIOTECH CONTENT FROM TRADITIONAL 
ITALIAN PRODUCTS; IT SIMPLY STATES VARIOUS VERSIONS OF A 
PUTATIVE AXIOM HOLDING THAT "GENETIC POLLUTION" SHOULD NOT BE 
ALLOWED TO UNDERMINE THE "IMAGE IN THE WORLD HELD BY ITALIAN 
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS."  ALEMANNO, LONG AN ADVOCATE OF THE 
MAINTENANCE OF A "GMO-FREE OPTION" FOR ITALIAN CONSUMERS, 
CLEARLY PRESENTS IN THIS DOCUMENT A VISION OF ITALIAN 
AGRICULTURE IN WHICH "TRADITIONAL" PRODUCTION  FOREVER MEANS 
GMO-FREE. 
 
¶5. (SBU) ALEMANNO'S BIOTECH DRAFT DOES NOT MENTION ITALY'S 
PURSUIT OF GI PROTECTIONS IN THE FLEDGLING WTO TALKS.  THE 
MINISTRY OFFICIALS WHO WORK ON BIOTECH ARE NOT THE SAME 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ6107 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01405  02 OF 02  191803Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AIT-03   CEA-01   CIAE-00  CTME-00  DODE-00 
      ITCE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00    EXME-00  E-00     UTED-00  VC-00 
      FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   ITC-01   L-00     VCE-00 
      AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-01   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PC-01 
      PM-00    ACE-00   SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    STR-00   TEST-00 
      TRSE-00  USIE-00  FMP-00   PMB-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00 
        /013W 
                  ------------------7788C4  191803Z /38 
P 191719Z MAR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2837 
INFO WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION COLLECTIVE 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMCONSUL NAPLES 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2059 
USDA WASHDC 
USDOC WASHDC 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001405 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
EB/TPP/ATT FOR PEREZ, EUR/ERA. E FOR SHUB 
STATE PASS USTR FOR NOVELLI 
USDA FOR FAS/OA/TERPSTRA AND SLUTSKY 
USDA FOR ITP/SHEIKH AND MACKE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01405  02 OF 02  191803Z 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD IT ETRD IT WTOEAGR WTO
SUBJECT: BIOTECH: SUGGESTION FOR GETTING ITALY'S ATTENTION 
 
PEOPLE WHO WORK ON GI PROTECTION.  DURING A MARCH 13 LUNCH, 
ANGELA MILANO, A SENIOR MOA AGRICULTURE NEGOTIATOR WHO WILL 
PARTICIPATE IN THE WTO AGRICULTURE TALKS IN GENEVA, REFERRED 
ECONOFF TO THE OFFICE OF UNDERSECRETARY AMBROSIO TO DISCUSS 
USG BIOTECH CONCERNS.  ECONOFF REPLIED THAT THE EMBASSY HAS 
NO PROBLEM GAINING ACCESS TO GOI OFFICIALS WORKING ON BIOTECH 
BUT WONDERS WHETHER THOSE OFFICIALS REALIZE THEY MAY BE 
WORKING AT CROSS-PURPOSES WITH OFFICIALS WORKING ON THE WTO 
TALKS.  ECONOFF EXPLAINED THAT USG SUPPORT FOR GI PROTECTION 
-- ALREADY SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC WITH REGARD TO SOME PRODUCTS 
WITH NAMES THAT ARE WELL-KNOWN IN THE U.S. MARKET AND WHICH 
COINCIDENTLY DERIVE FROM FOREIGN PLACE NAMES -- COULD BE HARD 
TO COME BY IF THE PRODUCTS TO BE PROTECTED WERE REQUIRED TO 
BE BIOTECH FREE.  ALLOWING THAT FEW PRODUCTS IN ITALY 
CARRYING "TRADITIONAL" LABELS NOW CONTAIN BIOTECH INPUTS, 
ECONOFF SAID THAT COULD WELL CHANGE IF AND WHEN ITALY OPENS 
ITS MARKET TO BIOTECH PRODUCTS; BIOTECH MAY EVEN HELP SAVE 
SOME TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS.  NOTE.  PRO-BIOTECH ELEMENTS HERE 
OFTEN CITE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE POTENTIAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY TO 
SALVAGE THE VIRUS-BESIEGED SAN MARZANO TOMATO, A PRODUCT THAT 
IS BOTH DESIGNATED AS TRADITIONAL ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND 
PUT FORTH FOR GI PROTECTION INTERNATIONALLY.  END NOTE. 
 
¶6. (SBU) MILANO HAD NEVER CONSIDERED THE POTENTIAL LINK 
BETWEEN HER GI WORK AND BIOTECH.  NEITHER, WE CAN SAFELY SAY, 
HAS MINISTER ALEMANNO.  POST SUGGESTS BRINGING THE LINKAGE TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01405  02 OF 02  191803Z 
THE ATTENTION OF SELECTED SENIOR GOI OFFICIALS TO INCLUDE 
ALEMANNO, DEPUTY MINISTER FOR FOREIGN TRADE URSO, SENIOR 
STAFF TO PM BERLUSCONI, AND SENIOR STAFF AT ITALY'S WTO 
OFFICE IN GENEVA.  TO AVOID LIMITING USG OPTIONS DURING THE 
WTO TALKS, WE PROPOSE TO SIMPLY RAISE THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT 
RATHER THAN TO THREATEN A WITHHOLDING OF USG SUPPORT FOR 
ITALY'S GI AGENDA.  SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS TO BE LEFT WITH 
THE GOI AS A NONPAPER FOLLOW IN PARA EIGHT.  ACTION REQUEST. 
GIVEN THE COMPLEXITY OF THE WTO TALKS, MISSION REQUESTS 
DEPARTMENT'S ENDORSEMENT OF THIS PROPOSAL.  END ACTION 
REQUEST. 
 
¶7. (SBU) IN ADDITION TO RAISING THE BIOTECH-GI LINK WITH 
MOA'S MILANO, WE HAVE FLOATED THE IDEA WITH ASSOBIOTEC, 
ITALY'S PRIMARY PRO-BIOTECH LOBBYIST.  THE GROUP 
ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENDORSES THE IDEA OF PRESENTING THE CONCERN 
TO THE GOI AS A POTENTIALLY POWERFUL MEANS OF GAINING ITS 
ATTENTION. 
 
¶8. SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS 
 
-- THE USG WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT ONE OF THE USG HIGHEST 
TRADE CONCERNS HAS A POTENTIAL DIRECT CONNECTION TO ONE OF 
ITALY'S PRIORITY TRADE CONCERNS. 
 
-- I AM SPEAKING OF OUR INTEREST IN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND YOURS 
IN PROTECTION FOR GEOGRAPHIC INDICATORS. 
 
-- ALTHOUGH FEW ITALIAN PRODUCTS DEEMED "TRADITIONAL" OR PUT 
FORWARD BY ITALY FOR INTERNATIONAL GI PROTECTION HAVE ANY 
BIOTECH CONTENT, THAT NEED NOT ALWAYS BE THE CASE. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01405  02 OF 02  191803Z 
 
-- AS EUROPE GENERALLY AND ITALY IN PARTICULAR BEGIN TO OPEN 
THEIR MARKETS TO BIOTECH PRODUCTS, ITS EASY TO SEE THAT THOSE 
PRODUCTS WILL BE PUT TO A WIDE VARIETY OF USES. 
 
-- ITALIAN SCIENTISTS ALREADY SUGGEST THAT BIOTECH PRODUCTS 
MAY NOT JUST BE INCORPORATED INTO TRADITIONAL ITALIAN 
PRODUCTS BUT MAY EVEN SAVE SOME PRODUCTS, SUCH AS THE SAN 
MARZANO TOMATO, FROM EXTINCTION.  SOME OF THAT BIOTECHNOLOGY 
WILL COME FROM ITALY'S OWN SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND SOME WILL 
BE IMPORTED. 
 
-- WE HAVE NOTED WITH CONCERN THAT FUZZY-THINKING 
ANTI-BIOTECH ELEMENTS IN ITALY ARE LOOKING TO PERMANENTLY 
PRECLUDE BIOTECH CONTENT IN TRADITIONAL ITALIAN PRODUCTS. 
 
-- AMONG OTHER REPERCUSSIONS, SUCH A DEVELOPMENT MAY WELL 
LIMIT THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE USG COULD SUPPORT ITALY'S 
DESIRE TO AFFORD WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION PROTECTION FOR 
PRODUCTS BEARING GEOGRAPHIC INDICATORS. 
 
-- AFTER ALL, WE CAN HARDLY HELP ITALY CREATE A PROTECTED 
MARKET NICHE ONLY TO IMMEDIATELY CUT U.S. COMPANIES OUT OF IT. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME01405 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED