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 002331 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS USDA 
USDA FOR FAS/FAA/AO/JWILSON 
FAS/OA/DHEGWOOD 
FAS/ITP/BOB MACKE 
DEPT FOR IIP/G/EUR AND EUR/PPD 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  02331  01 OF 02  280807Z 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD TBIO KSCA TSPL OIIP ETRD TBIO KSCA TSPL OIIP IT PRC ITEAGR PRC
SUBJECT: BIOTECH OUTREACH: GREEN REVOLUTION TO GENE 
REVOLUTION CONFERENCE IN BOLOGNA MAY 28-31 
 
¶1. SUMMARY.  WITH SUPPORT FROM PD, USAID AND USDA, MISSION 
ITALY, AT THE INITIATIVE OF CONGEN FLORENCE, IS COSPONSORING 
A FOUR DAY CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AT THE 
UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA MAY 28-31. HEADLINING THE PROGRAM IS 
NOBEL PRIZE PRIZE WINNER NORMAN BORLAUG, AND SWISS SCIENTIST 
INGO POTRYKUS, THE INVENTOR OF GOLDEN RICE. OTHER LEADING 
AMERICAN SCIENTISTS INCLUDE ROGER BEACHY, FROM THE DANFORTH 
FOUNDATION FOR PLANT SCIENCE, AND THREE SPEAKERS SPONSORED BY 
PD: ALLISON SNOW FROM OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY; CAL QUALSET FROM 
UC-DAVIS; AND RON PHILLIPS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. 
THE SUPPORT OF USAID HAS MADE POSSIBLE THE PARTICIPATION OF 
LEADING FIGURES FROM AFRICA, INDIA, THE PHILLIPINES, 
KAZAKHSTAN, BRAZIL, AND MEXICO. THE LAST DAY AND A HALF OF 
THE CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR 
THE DEVELOPING WORLD AND ON EU AND ITALIAN VIEWS OF 
BIOTECHNOLOGY. THE MINISTER FOR SCIENCE FROM SOUTH AFRICA 
WILL SPEAK AT THE CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES 
IN REDUCING HUNGER. MISSION ITALY CONSIDERS THIS CONFERENCE 
AND THE ASSOCIATED EVENTS WE HAVE PLANNED WITH SNOW, 
PHILLIPS, AND QUALSET IN UDINE, MILAN, TURIN, AND NAPLES TO 
BE A INTEGRAL PART OF OUR SUPPORT FOR U.S. SCIENCE-BASED 
POLICY ON BIOTECHNOLOGY. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. THE ITALIAN SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY IN FAVOR OF AGRICULTURAL 
BIOTECHNOLOGY IS SMALL, BUT INDEPENDENTLY MINDED, AND 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  02331  01 OF 02  280807Z 
UNABASHEDLY VOCAL IN ITS SUPPORT OF A MORE SCIENCE-BASED 
POLICY--SOMETHING STILL FAR FROM THE MINDS OF ITALIAN 
POLICYMAKERS. WE TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN TO HIT HOME 
FOUR OF THE SIX ELEMENTS PD HAS PROVIDED WITH THE ROLL-OUT OF 
OUR REQUEST FOR WTO CONSULTATIONS ON THE EU MORATORIUM ON NEW 
APPROVALS: THE SAFETY OF BIOTECH PRODUCTS; THEIR BENEFITS TO 
THE ENVIRONMENT; THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO AGRICULTURAL 
PRODUCTIVITY; AND THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF EU POLICIES ON THE 
ADOPTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD. 
SCIENTISTS ARE IN A GOOD POSITION TO SPEAK ON THSES ISSUES. 
 
¶3. CONSULATES MILAN AND FLORENCE DREW THIS PLANNED PROGRAM TO 
EMBASSY ATTENTION LATE LAST FALL, AND BY FEBRUARY EMBASSY HAD 
AGREED TO UNDERTAKE SUPPORT OF THE CONFERENCE. PD WAS ABLE TO 
SUPPORT THREE SPEAKERS, WHILE USDA AND USAID PROVIDED AN 
ADDITIONAL USD 45,000 TO SUPPORT THE TRAVEL EXPENSES OF U.S. 
AND DEVELOPING COUNTRY SPEAKERS. EMBASSY ESTCOUNS HAS WORKED 
WITH THE UNIVERSITY IN SELECTING DEVELOPING COUNTRY SPEAKERS, 
U.S. SPEAKERS, AND IN SHAPING THE POLICY-ORIENTED PARTS OF 
THE PROGRAM, AND IN CONTACTING GOI OFFICIALS AND ITALIAN 
PARLIAMENTARIANS.  ALTHOUGH THERE ARE OTHER COSPONSORS-- FOR 
EXAMPLE, THE BRITISH COUNCIL--OUR ROLE IN THE CONFERENCE 
DESIGN HAS PROBABLY BEEN THE MORE IMPORTANT. OUR CONTACTS 
WITH AFRICABIO, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS RESULTED IN THE 
PARTICIPATION OF THE MINISTER FOR SCIENCE FROM SOUTH AFRICA 
IN THE CONFERENCE. 
 
¶4. IN SELECTING THE SPEAKERS WE WISHED TO SPONSOR, WE LOOKED 
AT THE MOST PROBABLE REMAINING SCIENTIFIC DISPUTE ABOUT 
AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY--LONG TERM EFFECTS ON 
BIODIVERSITY, OR IN EU-SPEAK, COEXISTENCE. THIS IS AN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  02331  01 OF 02  280807Z 
ESPECIALLY SALIENT ISSUE FOR ITALIAN FARMERS, WHO HAVE BEEN 
TOLD REPEATEDLY BY THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE THAT THE 
MARKET FOR THEIR HIGH VALUE GEOGRAPHICALLY DENOMINATED OR 
"TYPICAL PRODUCTS" COULD BE ENDANGERED BY "CONTAMINATION" 
FROM BIOTECH CROPS AND VARIETIES.  ACCORDINGLY,WE INVITED 
ECOLOGIST ALLISON SNOW FROM OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY TO ADDRESS 
NAPLES. PROFESSOR SNOW IS KNOWN INTERNATIONALLY FOR HER GENE 
FLOW STUDIES INVOLVING BIOTECH VARIETIES. ACCORDINGLY, WE 
INVITED ECOLOGIST ALLISON SNOW FROM OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY TO 
ADDRESS A TWO-DAY CONFERENCE ON BIOTECHNOLOGY IN NAPLES, MAY 
27-28, SPONSORED BY THE CAMPANIE REGION AND THE NATIONAL 
FARMERS ASSOCIATION.  KEY INTERLOCUTORS IN THE ITALIAN 
BIOTECH DEBATE WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE CONFERENCE, 
INCLUDING THE ITALIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTER.  PROFESSOR SNOW 
IS KNOWN INTERNATIONALLY FOR HER GENE FLOW STUDIES INVOLVING 
BIOTECH VAIRETIES AND POST RECOGNIZED AN IMPORTANT 
OPPORTUNITY TO INSERT SNOW'S EXPERTISE INTO THE PROGRAM 
AGENDA.  SHE WILL BE THE ONLY AMERICAN PRESENTER IN THE 
NAPLES SPEAKER LINE-UP.  FOR THE SAME REASONS, WE INVITED 
WHEAT BREEDER AND PROFESSOR EMERITUS CALVIN QUALSET (U. OF 
CALIFORNIA DAVIS) TO GIVE A PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF 
UDINE IN THE NORTHEAST AND MOST ANTI BIOTECH CORNER OF ITALY 
NEAR THE AUSTRIAN BORDER.  IN ADDITION TO HIS CREDENTIALS AS 
A PLANT BREEDER, PROFESSOR QUALSET FOUNDED THE GENETIC 
RESOURCES CONSERVATION PROGRAM IN CALIFORNIA.  OUR THIRD 
SPEAKER, REGENTS AND MCKNIGHT PROFESSOR OF GENOMICS RON 
PHILLIPS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. IS A SPECIALIST IN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ4929 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  02331  02 OF 02  280807Z 
ACTION IIP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   A-00     CEA-01   CIAE-00  COME-00 
      CTME-00  INL-00   DODE-00  DOEE-00  ITCE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00 
      EB-00    EXME-00  EUR-00   E-00     FAAE-00  UTED-00  VC-00 
      FRB-00   HHS-01   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    ITC-01 
      L-00     VCE-00   NASA-01  AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-00 
      OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  EPAU-00  PM-00    ACE-00   SCT-00 
      SP-00    SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  EPAE-00 
      PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-01   G-00     SAS-00     /011W 
                  ------------------6BA97C  280807Z /38 
P 280807Z MAY 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0109 
INFO ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE 
EU CANDIDATE STATES COLLECTIVE 
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2682 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 002331 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS USDA 
USDA FOR FAS/FAA/AO/JWILSON 
FAS/OA/DHEGWOOD 
FAS/ITP/BOB MACKE 
DEPT FOR IIP/G/EUR AND EUR/PPD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  02331  02 OF 02  280807Z 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD TBIO KSCA TSPL OIIP ETRD TBIO KSCA TSPL OIIP IT PRC ITEAGR PRC
SUBJECT: BIOTECH OUTREACH: GREEN REVOLUTION TO GENE 
REVOLUTION CONFERENCE IN BOLOGNA MAY 28-31 
 
MAIZE GENOME MAPPING, BUT ALSO HAS STRONG BIOTECHNOLOGY 
CREDENTIALS.  PROFESSOR PHILLIPS WILL BE SPEAKING AT THE 
UNIVERSITY OF TURIN AND AT MILAN UNIVERSITY. IN OTHER WORDS, 
WE WILL USE OUR SPEAKERS TO REACH AUDIENCES NATIONALLY. 
 
¶5. WE EXPECT THE CONFERENCE ITSELF, TO BE HELD OUTSIDE THE 
CENTER OF BOLOGNA AT THE NEW UNIVERSITY BIOTECHNOLOGY CAMPUS, 
WILL DRAW PRINCIPALLY AN AUDIENCE OF RESEARCHERS, BUT WE HAVE 
TARGETED WITH THER ORGANIZERS A HANDFUL OF ITALY'S BEST 
SCIENCE JOURNALISTS TO COVER BIOTECHNOLOGY. WE EXPECT THE MAY 
28 OPENING SESSION, WITH KEYNOTES BY NORMAN BORLAUG AND 
MONKOMBU SWAMINATHAN, TO BE WELL ATTENDED AND COVERED, AND 
BELIEVE THE FRIDAY MAY 30 SESSIONS ON BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR 
SUSTAINABILTY AND FOOD SECURITY AND TRANSGENIC CROPS FOR 
BIOFARMING AND ENHANCED NUTRITION WILL BE WELL ATTENDED. ON 
SATURDAY, MAY 31 THERE WILL BE APANEL DISCUSSION LED BY THE 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION ON PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE EUROPEAN 
UNION, AND A DISCUSSION ON GMOS AND THE FOOD CHAIN IN ITALY. 
WE EXPECT PRESS ATTENTION TO THE WTO CONSULTATIONS REQUEST 
DURING THESE SESSIONS AND PD HAS PREPARED MATERIALS IN 
ITALIAN FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE PRESS.  EMBASSY ESTCOUNS WILL 
ATTEND THE ENTIRE BOLOGNA CONFERENCE AND WILL WORK CLOSELY 
WITH PD TO GET OUR MESSAGE OUT. 
 
¶6. FULL DETAILS ON THE CONFERENCE CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP:// 
WWW.AVENUEMEDIA.IT/LINKCONG/GREEN-GENE.HTML.  EMBASSY THANKS 
DEPARTMENT PD OFFICES, US AID, AND USDA FOR THEIR FINANCIAL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  02331  02 OF 02  280807Z 
AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT OF THIS CONFERENCE. 
SKODON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2003ROME02331 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED