VZCZCXRO5727
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHWR #2233/01 3181037
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141037Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5490
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 002233 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO USTR 
USTR FOR MELISSA CLARKSON AND WENDY MOORE 
STATE FOR EUR/ERA SHAWN GRAY AND EEB/TPP/ABT/BTT JACK BOBO 
USDA/FAS FOR ELIZABETH JONES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD EUN PL
SUBJECT: POLAND: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: EU PROGRESS ON BIOTECH 
 
REF: STATE 153542 
 
¶1. (SBU)  Summary:  Post has delivered reftel demarche to the 
Polish Ministries of Economy, Environment and Agriculture. 
Poland is in the process of forming a new government, and 
consequently its capacity to engage on the issue before 
November 21 is limited.  Although it appears unlikely that 
Poland will quickly change its policy of opposing 
biotechnology, post will continue to stress the importance of 
this issue with the new goverment's officials.  End summary. 
 
------------------- 
Ministry of Economy 
------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On November 7, EconOff delivered reftel demarche 
to Kryzstof Januszek, Acting Director of the Trade Policy 
Department at the Polish Ministry of Economy.  Januszek 
stated that, having spent several years working in Geneva, he 
fully understood the import of the U.S. message, and was 
aware of what could happen if the EU fails to comply with the 
WTO Panel's finding.  However, he noted that, on this issue, 
the Ministry of Economy is only one player in the Polish 
interagency debate.  While the Ministry of Economy has been a 
proponent of a more trade-liberalizing approach to biotech, 
strong anti-biotech lobbies in the Ministries of Environment 
and Agriculture have been quite successful in advancing their 
views within the Polish government.  He stated that the 
Polish position is closer to that of France or Italy.  While 
the newly-elected Polish government may show more concern 
regarding the effects of failing to comply with international 
obligations as determined by the WTO Dispute Settlement Body, 
Januszek was doubtful that we could expect a significant 
change in Polish policy on the biotech issue. 
 
----------------------- 
Ministry of Environment 
----------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  On November 8, AgCouns and EconOff delivered 
reftel demarche to Slawomir Gurtowski, Deputy Director of the 
Ministry of the Environment's Department of Global 
Environmental Problems and Climate Change, who is responsible 
for WTO issues.  Gurtowski said he was aware of the current 
biotech dispute and the consequences for Poland of failing to 
complain with the WTO Panel's finding.  He was reluctant to 
discuss the issue further.  He said that, in light of the 
opposition party's victory in last week's elections, the 
departing minister of the environment will not make a 
decision that could tie the hands of his replacement, who has 
yet to be named.  Gurtowski did note that most of his 
information about genetically modified foods comes from 
anti-biotech NGOs.  Consequently, he described his office's 
opposition to GMO's as based on the preventive principle and 
a belief that GMOs harm small farmers.  When AgCouns offered 
examples of farmers in less developed countries who had 
successfully used GMOs Gurtowski said he realized there was 
another side to the GMO controversy, but was not familiar 
with the details.  AgCouns and EconOff offered to provide 
Gurtowski with additional scientific information.  AgCouns 
and EconOff also arranged to meet with representatives of the 
ministry again when the new government begins to coalesce. 
 
----------------------- 
Ministry of Agriculture 
----------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  On November 12, AgCouns delivered reftel demarche 
to Jan Ardanowski, Under Secretary of Agriculture. 
Ardanowski repeated that Poland does not support the use of 
biotechnology in EU member states.  He said a new government 
may be more receptive to the technology and to working with 
the Commission.  He stated that the new Polish government 
would have to decide what Poland's position was on the 
November 21 implementation deadline for the WTO decision, and 
that the U.S. side should not expect Poland to be very 
engaged on the topic given the government changeover.  He 
added that the new coalition government would make biofuels a 
priority, and this might create an opening for greater use of 
the technology in Poland, with products channeled into the 
energy sector.  As well, he commented that a new leadership 
ofthe Ministry, expected to be from the Polish People's Party 
(PSL), must cope with the 70 percent public disapproval of 
biotechnology shown by polls.  Ardanowski, a member of the 
former ruling party, PiS (Law and Justice), will be leaving 
 
WARSAW 00002233  002 OF 002 
 
 
his position in a matter of days. 
HILLAS