Representatives of the European Union (EU) are accusing the
US of spreading lies about the EU’s stance on genetically modified foods. The United States government has long been frustrated
with the EU’s de facto moratorium on these
foods, and its mandatory labeling policy. When African countries facing
famine recently rejected US food aid because it was genetically
mutated, US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick asserted that
these impoverished nations had been pressured into this decision by the
EU. Zoellick claimed that the EU had threatened to withdraw its
own food aid if they accepted the Frankencorn.
The EU has repeatedly denied that it attempted to influence
the African ministers’ decisions, but Zoellick
continues repeating the charge. He called the EU’s
rejection of GE food “Luddite” and
wants the US to file for a WTO tribunal on the
matter. “This is a strange discussion,” said European Union’s
overseas aid chief, Poul Nielson. “We
are approaching a point where I would be tempted to …propose a deal
to the Americans…if the Americans would stop lying about us, we
would stop telling the truth about them.”
Read all about it: <http://organicconsumers.org/ge/lies012403.cfm>
Also check out Newsweek’s story on the World’s
rejection of GE foods:
<http://organicconsumers.org/ge/reject012403.cfm>
To learn more, visit OCA’s online
library of GE Food articles: <http://organicconsumers.org/gelink.html>