Diverse views surface at biodiversity talks

Diverse views surface at biodiversity talks

JAKARTA (JP): After a cordial opening day, divergent
viewpoints began to surface at international talks on
biodiversity on the second day of the conference yesterday.

There was disagreement on virtually all issues discussed, from
technology transfer, regulations on biotechnology, genetic
engineering, patent rights and technological cooperation.

Many delegates of the Second Conference of Parties to the
Convention of Biodiversity said they supported a "clearing house
mechanism" for scientific and technical cooperation.

However, "developed countries fear it could be used for access
to certain technologies without respecting intellectual property
rights" of private companies, said the executive secretary to the
Convention on Biodiversity, Calestous Juma.

The Convention, issued at the 1992 Earth Summit in Brazil,
encourages cooperation in the transfer of technology to conserve
natural resources.

The head of the United States delegation, Rafe Pomerance, said
the technological transfer methods would be supported by U.S.
industries.

Colombia, however, said that genetic resources and traditional
knowledge should be protected.

"We do not agree that such information.. should be
disseminated before adequate rules of access and protection are
adopted by the Parties," read the Colombia position stated in a
conference document.

Conference chairman Sarwono Kusumaatmadja of Indonesia,
commenting on the different perspectives, said the delegates were
still "in an early position" and that they have until Nov. 17 to
resolve the differences.

Another controversy developed over international procedures
for genetic engineering, or "biosafety protocols."

Both sides of the argument were putting out leaflets to
present points to delegates and the media.

One statement against such binding regulations came from the
Netherlands-based Green Industry Biotechnology Platform, which
said that strict regulations on biotechnology would
"unnecessarily deny and delay enjoyment of health, agriculture
and environmental benefits of new biotechnology in the developing
world."

More votes in favor of the protocols came from 37 NGOs from 11
countries.

"The developed countries once opposed now seem willing to
accept negotiations, provided the scope is so narrow and weak
that it no way interferes with their industrial goals," it said.

Pomerance, the U.S. Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of
State, denied the suggestions that biotechnology industries are
behind the U.S. opposition to biosafety.

Responding to the conference call for all parties to ratify
the Convention on Biodiversity, Pomerance also denied that
industries are influencing the U.S. against ratification.

The U.S. has not ratified it because "some senators are not
supportive of biodiversity", he said.

The industries, he added, are in favor of ratification because
"we could be more active as (contracting) parties instead of
observers." (anr)