VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHPG #0500 2381243
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261243Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1691
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS PRAGUE 000500
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USTR, USDA/FAS, EEB/TPP/ABT, EUR/ERA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EUN TBIO EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: REPLY TO DEMARCHE ON SOY ISSUE AT
SEPTEMBER 7 EU AGRICULTURE COUNCIL MEETING
REF: STATE 96566
1. (SBU) On August 25 EconOff delivered reftel demarche to
Agriculture Ministry Food Safety Division Head Petr Benes,
who will represent the Czech Republic at the September 7 EU
Agriculture Council Meeting. Benes said that he and
Agricultural Minister Sebesta became aware of the soy issue
in July when Czech feed producers shared their concerns about
the ramifications of a soy import suspension. The Czech
Republic is more than 90% dependent on imported soy, and soy
is used in the majority of animal feeds produced
domestically. Benes reported that Sebesta recently met with
Czech-Moravian Union of Grain Warehouses Head and Czech
representative to the Organization of EU Grain Producers Jiri
Zednik, and pledged to support Czech grain producers on this
issue.
2. (SBU) Benes met last week with British Department for
Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Evidence
Strategy Project Head Stuart Wainwright. Benes agreed to
advocate for DEFRA's two main objectives at the September 9
meeting: 1. the Commission should issue without further delay
a possible technical solution on the low level presence of
unauthorized GM material in imported commodities; and 2. the
final decisions on possible EU approval for the import of the
GM maize events MON88107 and MIR604 should progress as
quickly as possible.
Thompson-Jones