Bush Urges Europe Drop Resistance to Biotech Foods

[Guest guest]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush renewed his criticism of

European nations on Monday for refusing to accept genetically

modified foods and contended the ban was contributing to famine in

Africa.

 

" For the sake of a continent threatened by famine, I urge the

European governments to end their opposition to biotechnology. We

should encourage the spread of safe, effective biotechnology to win

the fight against global hunger, " Bush told a biotechnology

conference.

 

European countries are concerned about the safety of genetically

modified foods. The EU also says it provides more aid to African

countries than the United States and that it has done nothing to turn

African countries away from biotechnology.

 

Reacting to Bush's comments, European Commission spokesman Reijo

Kemppinen said: " The fact is that we in Europe have chosen to do some

things differently from the United States. As regards GMOs, we simply

believe that it is better to be safe than sorry. "

 

" This is a highly sensitive issue in all our member states. The

European Commission respects that and so should the United States, "

Kemppinen said.

 

Last week, a final round of negotiations between the United States

and the European Union failed and the administration announced it

would file a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization to

overturn Europe's ban on new biotech foods.

 

An initial WTO ruling in the case could come next spring.

 

" Acting on unfounded, unscientific fears, many European governments

have blocked the import of all new biotech crops. Because of these

artificial obstacles, many African nations avoid investing in

biotechnology, worried that their products will be shut out of

important European markets, " Bush said.

 

U.S. corn farmers say they are losing about $300 million in sales to

the European Union each year because of the five-year-old trade

barrier on genetically modified foods.

 

The issue is also attracting new attention as agribusiness giant

Monsanto Co. prepares to bring the first gene-altered wheat to

commercial markets, possibly as early as next year.

 

The European Commission had tried to repeal a moratorium on biotech

foods, with officials publicly fretting about ceding a burgeoning

biotech industry to the United States. But with consumer sentiment in

many European countries running high against biotech foods, it has

failed so far.

 

The United States is the world leader in biotech crops, with gene-

spliced varieties accounting for 75 percent of U.S. soybeans, 71

percent of cotton and 34 percent of corn.

 

American environmental groups, worried about bio-crops' long-term

impact on human health and the environment, have demanded more

inspections by the federal government.