And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: "Randy Whitewolf" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> replies: from BBC Online @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/newsid_284000/284569.stm By Environment Correspondent Alex Kirby With international talks in Colombia on a treaty to control the trade in genetically-modified organisms due to end within hours, the United States stands accused of trying to wreck it. The meeting, in the city of Cartagena, involves delegates from nearly 170 countries which have signed the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The USA has not ratified the convention, and so is in Cartagena only as an observer. But it has used that restricted status to orchestrate a refusal to allow the meeting to include commodities like soya beans and corn in the negotiations. The two crops make up 90% of the world trade in GMOs. Most trade uncontrolled Allowing them to be included would mean labelling them in international trade, and that could mean they were boycotted. Unless the majority of countries at the talks can force a last-minute climbdown by the US and its allies, the meeting will end by agreeing a partial treaty. It will govern trade in GM seeds, while leaving all other GM products virtually free of restrictions. GM products are already on saleIt will mean there is no global agreement that a country has the right to refuse to allow the import of GMOs. And if individual states do refuse, they will be liable to challenge at the World Trade Organisation. Greenpeace accuses the Americans of threatening biodiversity in the name of profit. The group's political adviser, Louise Gale, said: "The US has attempted to terminate the Biosafety Protocol". "It seems that the US, driven by the commercial interests of companies such as Monsanto, is willing to threaten the world's biodiversity and forego any international safeguards on the trade in GMOs." Britain accused The US observers do have the support of five delegations, most of them from major grain exporting countries - Canada, Argentina, Australia, Chile and Uruguay. The British delegation is also accused of giving support to the Americans after it helped to draw up a set of proposals which favour their position. Dr Doug Parr, of Greenpeace UK, said: "If the US gets its way, millions more consumers would be denied a choice about what they eat, and a majority of the world's national governments would be powerless to enforce this basic individual right". He also criticised the UK Government's policy on GMOs. "Whilst they make promises to the UK public about labelling, no UK minister is present at international negotiations to ensure that it can actually happen". --- -----== Sent via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/ Easy access to 50,000+ discussion forums &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
