Global gene-food talks kickstart in Vienna
Date: 17-Sep-99
Country: AUSTRIA
Author: Julia Ferguson
Sponsored by the United Nations, the closed-door conference is a second
and final stab at drafting an internationally binding agreement on the
trade, handling and transportation of genetically modified organisms
(GMOs).
The previous round of talks ended in stalemate last February in
Cartagena, Columbia, after the main grain exporting countries led by the
United States baulked at accepting environmental controls on exports of
genetically engineered (GE) crops.
The dispute was between the G-77 group of developing nations, wary that
hi-tech crops could pose a potential risk to the environment and human
health, and the so-called Miami Group of the U.S., Canada, Argentina,
Uruguay, Australia and Chile.
The Biosafety Protocol conference, which is scheduled to end on Sunday,
is bringing together senior officials from some 150 nations.
Environmental campaigners Greenpeace said the talks were vital as
success would produce a draft to be signed by environment ministers next
year.
"The protocol is basically about whether countries will have the right
to reject imports of GMO crops on the basis of their environmental and
health concerns," Greenpeace political adviser Louise Gale told Reuters.
Biotechnology firms have invested heavily in GMOs, and faced with
dwindling demand due to various import halts as countries assess the
impact on the ecosystem, they are lobbying heavily at the talks to
ensure the rules suit their shareholders.
"The big question is what is going to happen with these GMO crops, where
are they going to be going?" Gale said.
Earlier on Thursday, Greenpeace said the U.S. was exporting GE maize to
Russia even though Russian legislation requires special permits for such
material.
Greenpeace said samples from an early August shipment of maize from the
U.S. to Russia obtained by the group and analysed by the Federal
Environment Agency of Austria was shown to contain GM maize.
It said the Panamanian bulk carrier Blue Zenith, 45,782 dwt, arrived at
St Petersburg harbour on August 16 carrying 42,000 tonnes of U.S. maize.
In July, the Russian government issued a law that requires permits based
on ecological assessment before genetically engineered material can be
imported into the country.
"It's going to be very important for countries to have these
international rights to say 'no' to GMOs," Gale said.
