|
|
Change Your Life! |
Clinton-Chretien think GMOs aren't dangerous |
|
News
|
|
|
July 24, 2000
NAGO (AP) - Discussions among the leaders of the Group of Eight failed to resolve differences over the risks of genetically modified foods, French President Jacques Chirac said Sunday. "There is the thesis supported by (Canadian Prime Minister) Jean Chretien and (U.S. President) Bill Clinton by which GMOs aren't dangerous," he said. "Then there is the other school, that of Europe and Japan, that considers ... the potential consequences for health and environment require precaution and scientific certitude." The differences were apparent in the joint communique issued at the end of the G-8's three-day summit, which gave nods to both points of view in vague language. The statement noted the "potential risks associated with food," but did not target biotech as an area of concern. On the other hand, it called for helping the "capacity building (of developing countries) to harness the potentials of biotechnology." The United States and Canada have teamed up to promote GMOs as a safe and effective way to eliminate food shortages in the Third World. But European nations, especially France with its powerful farming lobbies, have vociferously opposed the American position. "You have all of Europe stressing the principle of precaution," European Commission President Romano Prodi said after the summit closed Sunday. Japan's Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori said leaders are considering setting up an independent panel to promote further discussion of the issue. The leaders, however, did not immediately endorse such an organization. There was more consensus among the leaders concerning the nearly complete mapping of the human genome. The communique praised the breakthrough as a "dramatic and welcome step" and urged fair intellectual property protection. On the genome, "there was no problem, no difficulty and no disagreement," Chirac said. |