Brussels, 24/08/2001 (Agence Europe) - Following the destruction, on Tuesday, of its sites for testing genetically modified corn in France (in the Gard) at the instigation of the Confédération Paysanne (demanding the total confinement of these experiments, in greenhouses, for example), the company Monsanto is speaking of an "unqualified act of delinquency" which "breaches the freedom of research which is, paradoxically, conducted with the aim of precisely responding to the legitimate questions raised by scientists and civil society over GMOs". The French Minister for Agriculture, Jean Glavany, could brief his counterparts on developments in the situation at the informal Council to be held in Belgium from 16 to 18 September, especially as the Belgian Presidency (in favour of continued trials) has included the question of new technologies on the meeting's agenda. Mr. Glavany says that he is "in favour of being able to take additional precautions for research trials being conducted in fields".
The agro-chemicals company, for its part, is calling on the French public authorities to "take all prior precautionary measures around the fields of experimentation". The transparency charter on GMO trials, the draft of which has been announced by the French Government, is for Monsanto, "an essential step, along the lines of a better understanding and clearly assumed responsibility".
The Confédération Paysanne began its uprooting campaign having warned the Agriculture Ministry to proceed with the destruction of the experimental fields by 12 August 2001. On 23 July, the French Food Health Safety Agency (Afssa) revealed the presence of traces of GMOs in samples of conventional corn. Further destruction of fields has been announced up to mid-September according to a timetable established by the Confédération Paysanne.