Expert opinion

	03.12.06 Victoria Panova G8 research group, University of Toronto, Director for Russia
	03.12.06 Mona Bricke German NGO Forum Environment and Development
	03.12.06 Nigel Martin Montreal International Rorum (FIM)
	02.12.06 John Kirton Head of G8 Research Group, University of Toronto
	02.12.06 Regina Gunter Head of the WWF Germany

News

Russia will not reject marking of GM products for the sake of WTO entry

Speaking on 4 July at a plenary session of the Civil G8 2006 International NGO Forum, which concluded the same day in Moscow, President Putin expressed support for recommendations developed by the Forum’s participants with regard to tightened control over distribution of genetically modified organisms and ensuring consumer rights to information on GM content in food products, an IA REGNUM correspondent reports.

“I am very happy to have come here today because I feel as though I am here among like-minded people”, Mr. Putin stated.

“One of the problems we have encountered during our negotiations on joining the World Trade Organisation is that we are being forced to renounce what I see as our right to inform our own public in the retail outlets about products manufactured using genetic engineering”, he explained. “Some countries with whom we are currently in the process of completing negotiations [reference to the USA – the only country which is yet to express its agreement to Russian WTO ascension, and which is continuing to insist on certain demands – IA REGNUM], have made it one of their main demands that we stop informing our public about genetically modified products”. The president stated his belief that this is a cover for the interests of countries producing large amounts of GM crops. “But we will insist on using the standards that the NGOs are proposing”, emphasised Mr. Putin.

Expert opinion

	02.12.06 Halter Marek Le College de France
	02.12.06 Olivier Giscard d’Estaing COPAM, France
	02.12.06 Mika Ohbayashi Institute for Sustainable Energy Poliсy
	02.12.06 Bill Pace World Federalist Movement - Institute for Global Policy
	01.12.06 Peter I. Hajnal Toronto University, G8 Research Group