Text: Rubin on Biotech Conference in The Hague

Says meeting seeks to demystify controversial issue

U.S. State Department Spokesman James Rubin says that an international biotechnology conference being held January 20-21 in The Hague will seek to "demystify" one of the most controversial issues in transatlantic relations.

In a statement released January 13, Rubin said the two-day conference will bring together world-renowned scientists as well as representatives of government, non-governmental organizations and the developing world to discuss applications of biotechnology and its implications for society.

Speakers at the conference will include Dr. J. Craig Venter, who is close to completing the first complete sequencing of the human genome, and Dan Glickman, secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Following is the text of Rubin's statement:

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

January 13, 2000

STATEMENT BY JAMES P. RUBIN, SPOKESMAN

Forum on Biotechnology's Impact to be Conference's Goal

Shedding light on biotechnology and its potential advantages and disadvantages, the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Commercial Service in The Hague, in cooperation with the Dutch Ministries of Health, Agriculture, and Economic Affairs, will host a conference on "Biotechnology: The Science and the Impact." Bringing together world-renowned scientists, government leaders, advocates for the developing world, NGOs, industry leaders and ethicists, the goal is to demystify this most controversial issue in transatlantic relations with a free flowing debate.

The Conference will be held January 20-21, at the Congress Center in The Hague.

Hosted by U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, Cynthia P. Schneider, The Hague conference will provide a forum for discussing the science of biotechnology, its applications, and implications for society. Food safety, benefit/risk assessment, sequencing of the human genome, biotechnology and the developing world, food and drug regulation, and the ethics of biotechnology will be addressed.

Speakers will include: Dr. J. Craig Venter, who is close to completing the first complete sequencing of the human genome; Sir Robert May, Chief Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister of Great Britain; Benedikt Haerlin of Greenpeace; Commissioner David Byrne of the European Commission; and the Dutch Ministers of Health, Agriculture, and Economic Affairs.

An official press center/briefing room will be open at the Congress Center throughout the conference. Opportunities for press briefings and interviews will be provided. Work space and research capability will be available.

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