Informal talks began Thursday. The meeting is sponsored by the U.N. Environmental Program and is an extension of failed talks 11 months ago in Cartagena, Colombia, on what is called the Biosafety Protocol. The Cartagena meeting collapsed when the United States, Canada, Australia, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile blocked a draft accepted by 125 other countries. The U.S. and other grain-exporting countries demanded that commodities such as corn and soy beans be exempted from strict controls even though they account for most of the global trade in genetically modified goods. Critics of genetic engineering say gene-splicing has the potential for environmental catastrophe.
Proponents say such arguments ignore the promise and benefits to humanity of scientific advancement.
Stabinsky and other speakers said that as genetically modified plants crossbreed and evolve, the dangers range from disrupting natural processes to causing extinctions. Biosafety Protocol, Montreal Friends of the Earth, the world s largest network of environmental groups, has served notice to the Canadian Government that Environment Minister, David Anderson s presence is urgently requested for the Biosafety Protocol negotiations in Montreal. FOE has posted Missing Persons posters throughout Montreal in an attempt to find the illusive Canadian Minister. It is no longer acceptable to allow free trade to be put before the environment and human welfare. We not only need a Protocol but a tough one that protects the world s wildlife and allows Governments to stop GMOs if there is uncertainty over their safety.