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Anne W McNeill  10/20/2006 02:40:59 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

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UNCLAS        WARSAW 01142

SIPDIS
CXWARSAW:
    ACTION: ECON
    INFO:   FCS POL ADM MGT ORA DCM AMB PAS

DISSEMINATION: ECOX
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: ECON:RRORVIG
DRAFTED: ECON:MKATULA,RRUDZIN
CLEARED: FAS: EPORTER DOS: MSPIRNAK

VZCZCWRI459
RR RUEHC RUEHZL RUEHRO RUEHKW RHEHNSC RUEHRC
RUEHBS
DE RUEHWR #1142/01 1630936
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120936Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0999
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0860
RUEHKW/AMCONSUL KRAKOW 1131
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 WARSAW 001142 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/NCE DKOSTELANCIK AND MSESSUMS 
DEPT PASS USTR FOR DVETTER AND WBUSIS 
DEPT FOR USDA/FAS 
USDOC FOR 4232/ITA/MAC/EUR/DBURGESS AND MRODGERS 
FAS FOR ITP/PSHEIKH, MWOOLSEY; BIOTECH GROUP LJONES, RFECITT 
USEU FOR USTR CWILSON, MDASTIN 
NSC FOR JHERRMANN 
ROME FOR USMISSION BRAKEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO ECON EAGR ETRD PL
SUBJECT: SENIOR DOS AGRICULTURAL BIOTECH ADVISOR SPIRNAK'S 
TRIP TO POLAND - MAY 21-25 
 
REF: WARSAW 917 
 
Sensitive but unclassified - not for internet distribution. 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  Madelyn Spirnak, State Department Senior 
Advisor for Agricultural Biotechnology, attended meetings in 
Warsaw on May 22 and 23, and in Krakow on May 24, 2006.  Her 
visit came at a crucial time in the new GOP's legislative 
assault on agricultural biotechnology.  In March the GOP 
drafted its "Framework Policy" (see reftel), and Spirnak 
learned during her visit that President Kaczynski has signed 
new legislation banning GMO seed sales and registration in 
Poland.  While all of her interlocutors were willing to 
listen to USG arguments on the subject, the GOP's position 
remains that only very limited uses of GMOs will be allowed 
in Poland.  Although the new Agriculture Minister may be less 
stridently opposed to some uses of GM technology, 
parliamentary members stressed that they would continue to 
promote an anti-GMO policy, even if this means enacting 
legislation stricter than EU standards, and perhaps violating 
Polish EU and WTO obligations.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (U)  Background.  On May 17, 2006 the President of Poland 
signed legislation that will ban the sale and registration of 
biotechnology seeds in Poland.  The legislation will enter 
into force 30 days after its publication, which is expected 
soon.  The legislation does not ban the planting of biotech 
seeds varieties registered in the EU seed catalogue and 
purchased outside of Poland.  Polish farmers currently are 
not using biotech seed, but trade contacts report there are 
some varieties of Bt corn available that should be 
economically beneficial to Polish farmers.  During debate in 
Parliament, legal advisors for both houses of Parliament 
reportedly told legislators that the legislation would 
violate EU regulations.  Many in the Polish scientific 
community, including government scientists, have publicly 
expressed opposition to this legislation. 
 
----------------------- 
Ministry of Environment 
----------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  On May 22, 2006, Spirnak began her meetings in the 
Ministry of the Environment with Malgorzata Wozniak, Senior 
Specialist, and Krzysztof Lissowski, Acting Director, both of 
the Department of Nature Conservation.  Wozniak explained 
that the Ministry of Environment's primary role in crafting 
Polish legislation is in preparing EU biotech regulations for 
implementation in Poland.  However, she continued that the 
Ministry of the Environment is very concerned with the 
potential environmental and human health impacts of biotech, 
and that very restrictive regulations should be expected. 
Wozniak also mentioned that the GOP's Commission on GMOs will 
begin meeting again very soon, and will be a body composed of 
personnel from several ministries.  The Commission will 
provide recommendations on GM issues, and will report 
directly to the Minister of Environment.  Spirnak stated that 
the U.S. hopes that any regulatory steps that Poland takes 
will be based on science and not politics.  She also 
mentioned that regulations that go beyond the stringent EU 
regulatory system could be harmful to joint U.S.-Polish trade 
interests as well as US-EU relations on this sensitive issue. 
 Lissowski commented that he and Wozniak are only civil 
servants, and must comply with any instructions they are 
given by the politicians who run the government.  Spirnak 
retorted that civil servants are obliged to give good advice 
to superiors.  Lissowski replied that not everyone wants to 
listen to opinions of civil servants. 
 
------------------- 
Ministry of Science 
------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  At the Ministry of Science, Spirnak met with 
Undersecretary of State Olaf Gajl (strictly protect), who led 
off the meeting by stating that Poland needs stronger 
educational programs on biotechology issues because Polish 
society is traditional and conservative, and Polish farmers 
are not well educated.  Gajl also noted that there is a 
general communication problem on the issue and that the 
Ministry of Science may try to form biotech working groups at 
the official level (Gajl stated this is rumor only at this 
point).  Gajl also noted that biotech industry development is 
his responsibility and he hopes to form eco-biotech working 
groups to unite industry, scientists and government officials 
to develop strategies for moving biotech forward in Poland. 
Biotech industry development is his responsibility and he 
personally would like to move this idea forward.  He also 
requested USG assistance in obtaining factual information on 
agbiotech that could be used in an information campaign, 
which he would like to develop for use in institutes of 
higher education.  Although Gajl seemed to be a voice of 
reason on the issue, he also requested that his statements 
during the meeting be taken as private, not official Ministry 
opinions. 
 
----------------------- 
Ministry of Agriculture 
----------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Spirnak and Warsaw's FAS Agricultural Counselor 
met with Undersecretary Chrapek from the Ministry of 
Agriculture to gain a better picture of Poland's new 
restrictive seed legislation.  Chrapek explained that the 
seed legislation was Parliament's response to public concerns 
over biotechnology and acknowledged that it could cause 
problems for Poland with the European Commission.  Chrapek 
stressed, however, that Poland intends to remain in 
compliance with EU biotechnology legislation, and in reply to 
a question, stated that the GOP will change its legislation 
if the EU determines that it is not in compliance with EU 
regulations.  Chrapek stressed that he hoped that Poland's 
"safe" approach to biotechnology would not cause problems 
between our two governments. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Senate and Sejm Agricultural Committee Leaders 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Spirnak held a two-hour meeting with Jerzy 
Chroscikowski, Senator and Chairman of the Agricultural and 
Environmental Protection Committee, and Pawel Michalak, 
Senator, and Chroscikowski's Deputy.  Spirnak discussed the 
increased yield and efficiencies gained through planting GM 
seed, the need for a no trade barrier approach to GM 
products, and the myths surrounding the dangers of GMOs.  The 
Senators were quick to refute her arguments and pointed out 
that the GOP's negative stance on biotech is based on 
economic and safety concerns.  They first mentioned that 
Poland does not have a food shortage and thus does not need 
to produce more food.  On the contrary, Michalak noted, 
Poland is currently working to get EU quotas for Polish fruit 
increased to meet export potential - GMOs simply are not of 
use to Polish farmers given current realities in Poland. 
Chroscikowski and Michalak also stressed that the GOP, as 
well as Polish society, is not convinced of the safety of 
GMOs, and is not ready to accept the notion without well 
crafted scientific studies.  The Senators also stated that 
thousands of agricultural workers would lose their jobs if GM 
foods were introduced, and that no other sector of the Polish 
economy could absorb them (Chroscikowski then quipped that 
obviously the U.S. does not want Polish workers), thus 
canceling out the potential efficiency gains from harvesting 
GM products. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Conversation then turned to newly enacted Polish 
legislation banning GMO seed sales and registration in 
Poland.  Spirnak asked the Senators how the GOP would react 
if the new legislation were to conflict with existing EU and 
WTO regulations.  Answering with a question, Chroscikowski 
wondered aloud why the U.S. is so concerned with Poland's EU 
relations.  He invited the USG, if it so desires, to become 
involved in Poland's interaction with the EU, requesting that 
it approach Brussels about equalizing the level of 
agricultural subsidies paid out to EU member states. 
Chroscikowski also mentioned that as a fan of Polish cuisine, 
he constantly promotes Polish foods.  He wondered why GMO 
advocates are so adamantly against labeling - basically 
asking that if the food is good and you believe people will 
like it, why not label it?  The Senators concluded the 
conversation by stating that the GOP is not against progress 
and would like to learn more about GM research being 
conducted in the U.S., but that its primary mission is to 
protect Polish agriculture, especially organic production, 
and that the GOP's line on the issue will not move. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Over lunch, Spirnak and the Ag and Econ Counselors 
met with the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Sejm (lower house) 
Agriculture Committee, Wojciech Mojzesowicz and Jan Laczny. 
During this session, Spirnak attempted to discuss the 
benefits that had been gained globally through GMO crops as 
well as the growing number of EU countries which were 
adopting the technology.  In response, the parliamentarians 
gave unsophisticated arguments such as:  US women are heavy 
because they eat GMO food; organic is "healthy" because its 
natural; confusing fertilizers with pesticides; and most 
importantly, nationalistic arguments about US and 
multinational companies coming to Poland and destroying the 
Polish farming system.  Efforts to present facts about 
potential benefits for farmers, including increasing their 
competitiveness within the EU were dismissed. 
 
-------------------------- 
Grain Producer Association 
-------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  One ray of light was a discussion with Maciej 
Tomaszewicz of the Grain Producers Association.  Tomaszewicz 
stated that his membership opposed the seed legislation. 
Asked about biotech/transgenic organisms in general, he 
replied that his membership had no objection to either feed 
or food containing GMOs.  He also noted that he had recently 
watched a weekly agricultural television program which 
focused on the GMO issue.  He was pleasantly surprised that 
the majority of speakers were in favor of the technology for 
Poland and the lone voice against agbiotech was an 
ill-prepared Agriculture Ministry Undersecretary (not 
Chrapek). 
 
------ 
Krakow 
------ 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  On May 24 Spirnak traveled to Krakow to meet with 
students and faculty of Krakow Agriculture University and 
Jagiellonian University, which offers a major in 
biotechnology.  Among the topics discussed were biotechnology 
legislation, and the future of farming.  Educators expressed 
deep concern that new Polish legislation would inhibit their 
ability to perform research using biotechnology; indeed they 
have been waiting months for GOP approval to move forward on 
one research project.  As they are already restricted to 
testing only in labs and not in open fields, the proposed 
legislation is another step in the wrong direction.  Numerous 
times, government officials have asked scientists for their 
opinions on biotechnology.  Yet, the professors complained, 
the government will not listen to these expert opinions 
advising them to embrace biotechnology.  Jagiellonian 
University Dean Kazimierz Strzalka wonders what the GOP is 
really afraid of when, in his opinion, GMOs would help Polish 
farmers more successfully compete with the rest of Europe. 
He cited a study that indicated that 60% of Polish farmers 
would use GMOs if they were given the option. 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  The greatest hope, according to Dean Strzalka, is 
in the hands of students.  At a recent Greenpeace meeting 
held at the university, students were vocal in challenging 
the assertions made by the Greenpeace "ideologists" 
concerning biotechnology.  Nationally, the Polish Association 
of Biotechnology Students is well organized.  They have a few 
hundred members, a website, and plans for a national 
conference in the fall.  Strzalka asked if the U.S. could 
help to provide speakers for the conference, and for a Polish 
National Biotech Conference that will take place in April 
¶2007. 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  At the Krakow Agriculture University, Ms. Spirnak 
addressed a group of approximately 50 students and 
professors.  There were few questions and most were from 
professors.  Based on the Krakow visit, it appears that 
overall, professors and students of biotechnology support 
transgenic crops for Poland and feel that they are good for 
Poland and for farmers.  They are frustrated that the GOP is 
so opposed.  They also believe that it is inevitable that 
Poland will see an increase in farmers using GM seeds from 
other countries, whether it is legal or not. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Comment - Outreach Critical 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  Comment:  Clearly the GOP remains opposed to the 
use of GM crops in Poland as evidenced by the polite but firm 
arguments against biotech Ms. Spirnak heard from the majority 
of her interlocutors.  Post believes that the current GOP and 
leaders within the Parliament will continue to work within 
the EU against the expanded use of biotech products in the 
EU.  While there may be a slight positive shift as heard by 
Spirnak in her meeting with the Ag U/S and by the Ambassador 
in his introductory call on the new Agriculture Minister 
(reftel), the Chairs of the Senate and Sejm Agricultural 
Committees are unwilling to listen to science-based arguments 
regarding agbiotech.  Thus, Post believes the USG should work 
with pro-biotech scientists, student groups and farmer 
organizations to educate current and future farmers about the 
safety and advantages of biotechology in agriculture.  We 
should also continue to educate GOP officials with the goal 
of preventing additional regulations that prohibit farmer 
choice when it comes to biotechnology.  Working with the 
Ministry of Science and Higher Education may also help to 
spread a more positive message on agbiotech to students and 
the general public.  Finally, we need to push the EU to 
ensure that Poland and other anti-biotech member states abide 
by EU commitments as well as WTO obligations governing the 
use of biotechnology in agriculture.  While pushing to open 
Poland to biotechnology, we need to take care to be seen as 
protecting choice, not pushing use. 
 
¶14.  (SBU)  FAS Warsaw and Senior DOS Agricultural Biotech 
Advisor Madelyn Spirnak have cleared this cable. 
ASHE