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Here is an interesting juxtposition of two items concerning agriculture, and a hint for an area of research by those with the resources. I don't know if the US is a party to the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity, but given it's recent activities and attitudes towards international law and GMOs I suspect that one thing on the agenda of the US corporations would be the introduction of GMOs into Iraq, with long-term and widespread consequences (assuming the GMOs are not already there). Will the occupying forces (US) adhere to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety any more then the Geneva Conventions, UN resolutions, or other international laws? With the recent flaps in the US about pharmacultural research products (to produce drugs from GM plants -- usually corn (maize)) and GMOs escaping from the test fields I would expect there to be efforts to plant these in Iraq. (I can almost hear the arguments now, that since people take such small quantities of drugs that since radioactive contamination from DU runoff would not be significant, pharmaculture in contaminated areas would be acceptable.) If Mr Amstutz decides to plant GMOs do the Iraqis get a choice? =*=*=*=*=*=* from: [casi] News, 4-10/6/03 (1) >* GRAIN EXPORTS TO IRAQ MAY SUFFER IN WAKE OF NEW APPOINTMENT >by Ashok B Sharma >Financial Express, 2nd June (?) > >New Delhi, June 1: Indian exporters of food items are not >very optimistic about the future of exports to Iraq. The >appointment of the former Cargill senior executive Dan >Amstutz, in charge of agricultural reconstruction >in Iraq is being viewed as a strategy to allows imports >only from US and its allies. > >Mr Amstutz also had earlier served the Reagan >Administration as a trade negotiator in the Uruguay round >of the world trade talks. Oxfam has already reacted to Mr >Amstutz's appointment and has expressed concern over the >promotion of US interests in Iraq. Oxfam's policy >director, Kevin Watkins has said "putting Dan Amstutz in >charge of agricultural reconstruction in Iraq is like >putting Saddam Hussein in the chair of a human rights >commission. This guy is uniquely well-placed to advance >the commercial interests of American grain companies and >bust open the Iraqi market - but singularly ill-equipped >to lead a reconstruction effort in a developing country." [...] *=*=*=*= From: "UN News Service" <UNNews@un.org> *=*=* TREATY ON TRADE IN GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS TO ENTER INTO FORCE - UN New York, Jun 13 2003 4:00PM A treaty that sets out the first comprehensive regulatory system for ensuring the safe transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is on a 90-day countdown to becoming international law, after Palau become the fiftieth country to ratify the protocol, according to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). "This new regime promises to make the international trade in GMOs more transparent while introducing important safety measures that will meet the needs of consumers, industry and the environment for many decades to come," <"http://www.unep.org/">UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer said, referring to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which becomes international law in September. Adopted in January 2000 by States parties to the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity, the Protocol features one set of procedures that deals primarily with GMOs intentionally introduced into the environment - such as seeds, trees or fish - and another with genetically modified farm commodities such as corn and grain used for food, animal feed or processing. [...] =*=*=*=*=*=* ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk