On October 25 in Geneva final round of negotiations on Ukraine joining
World Trade Organization will took place; however, the issue of obligatory
marking of products containing genetically modified organisms remains
unsolved.
Liga website published an article ?Gene Engineering May Obstruct
Ukraine?s Way to WTO? drawing the readers? attention to this problem.



The author of the article reminds that the Cabinet of Ministers
decided to introduce an obligation of marking genetically modified
foodstuffs starting from November 1, 2007.



?However, the American side of WTO holds a firm stand against such
actions,? runs the article.



?It is common knowledge that the USA is among the biggest exporters of
this kind of foodstuffs. That is why their actions can perhaps be
interpreted as unwillingness to lose markets for their products,? notes the
author.



Genetically modified organisms are those organisms the genetic
material of which changed not as a consequence of replication and/or natural
recombination but because of a modified gene or a gene of other biological
species or kind added.



According to Kateryna Kartava, Ph.D., doctors don?t know which
diseases a person can face after consuming gene engineering products.



After consuming such products the anti-gene composition of body
tissues will be changing; as a result the immune system will start to
destroy its own organism, notes the expert.



The author cites the Minister of Economy Anatoliy Kinakh according to
whom the issue of GMO products should be dealt with by prioritizing health
of Ukrainian citizens and strictly controlling the quality of foodstuffs
imported into Ukraine nowadays.



Meanwhile State Commission of Consumption Standards of Ukraine insists
on compulsory marking of at least children?s food. As Mr. Kinakh noted, it
is an obligatory norm in all EU countries.



According to the data of All-Ukrainian Ecological League, 90 per cent
of Ukrainian foodstuffs do not contain genetically modified organisms, notes
the author.


[www2.pravda.com.ua]