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Bio-tech conference in Bangkok

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, July 12

A THREE-DAY international conference on bio-technology got under way in Bangkok on Tuesday with a call for respect for the rights of consumers and the needs of farmers in developing countries in the face of fast spreading use of new technologies in agric ulture.

The Conference on `New Biotechnology Food and Crops: Science, Safety and Society' has been organised by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in cooperation with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World H ealth Organisation, the UN Environment Programme, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Government of Thailand.

It is chaired by the Earl of Selbourne, Chairman of the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum, and it brings together more than 250 participants from some 50 countries in five continents, including scientists, government officials and representatives of industr y, agriculture and civil society.

Presenting the Conference, Lord Selbourne said it had been ``founded on the principles of inclusiveness, transparency, openness and independence.'' Its objectives were two fold: to explore in consultation with international organisations and interested b odies the way to integrate the best scientific knowledge available into the international processes for consensus building on new bio-technology in relation to food and crop safety; and to further the concept of open and transparent consultation with an involvement of all stakeholders, including representatives of civil societies, supported by shared scientific understanding, which is a key component of a credible food and crop safety system.

The British Deputy Prime Minister, Mr John Prescott, called on participants to pursue their discussions on the basis of rational, factual and honest debate noting that ``global problems require global solutions and global consensus based on facts, reason and free and open discussion.''

He said that though bio-technology has potential to bring tremendous benefits, the real concern of the public must be addressed and there must be greater transparency of information in the labelling of GM (genetically modified) foods.

In his remarks, the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and host, Mr Suwit Khunkitti, emphasised the potential and the pitfalls of new bio-technology and GM foods. Acknowledging the wide range of opposing views on GM foods, he drew attention to the fears o f small-holders in developing countries about the possible results for their livelihoods of the introduction of GM plant and animal products. He said consumers have the absolute right to know what is in the food that they consumers.

The OECD Deputy Secretary-General, Mr Herwig Schlogl, said that while individual Governments are responsible for regulating production and sale of GM foods, they need to cooperate on an international basis to tackle the issues raised by new bio-technolog y. OECD's role, he explained, is to provide Governments with ``a platform to analyse complex issues, using science as far as possible and to discuss and hopefully develop common policy approaches in order to make national rule-making internationally cons istent.''

The conclusions of the Bangkok Conference would be forwarded to the G-8 Summit in Genoa later this month, an OECD statement said.