GRS 300
CONFIDENT:FAL
FM ROME
CONFIDENTIAL
TO DESKBY 19090OZ FCO
TELNO 336
OF 161515Z MAY 86
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP BRUSSELS
INFO PRIORITY OTHER EC POSTS, MOSCOW, BELGRADE, BUDAPEST INFO PRIORITY PRAGUE, SOFIA, WARSAW,
BUCHAREST
40
ре
سلام
YOUR TELNO 180: CHERNOBYL: EC BAN ON FOOD FROM EASTERN EUROPE.
MEDIA AND OVERT PUBLIC INTEREST IN ITALY HAS FOCUSED ON
DOMESTIC AND COMMUNITY LEVELS OF RADIATION. APART FROM THE EXAMINATION OF THE TOURIST RETURNED FROM KIEV (OUR TELNO 325, NOT TO ALL), WE HAVE SEEN NO INFORMATION ABOUT LEVELS OF RESIDUAL
RADIATION IN THE SOVIET UNION AND EASTERN EUROPE.
2. PUBLIC INTEREST IN, AND DISQUITE ABOUT, THE EFFECTS OF CHERNOBYL REMAIN HIGH AND COULD EASILY BE TRANSFERRED TO FOOD
MPORTS FROM EASTERN EUROPE (MAINLY LIVE ANIMALS FOR FATTENING
AND SLAUGHTER). ITALIAN DOMESTIC MEASURES, NOW BEING PROGRESSIVELY REMOVED, HAVE CONTINUED TO RECEIVE GENERAL SUPPORT. ALTHOUGH THEY
ARE MORE SEVERE THAN THOSE OF OTHER EC COUNTRIES. THE GOVERNMENT
NS IN OUR VIEW LIKELY TO PREFER TO BE SEEN TO PROTECT THE ITALIAN
CONSUMER FROM POTENTIAL RADIATION HAZARD THAN TO YIELD TO PRODUCER *INTERESTS, ALTHOUGH THEY WILL DOUBTLESS ALSO BEAR IN MIND POSSIBLE RETALIATION AGAINST ITALY'S EXPORTS TO THE REGION OF THEY SEEM TOO OPPOSED TO LIFTING THE RESTRICTIONS. THEY MIGHT MAKE AN EXCEPTION OVER YUGOSLAVIA, FOR WHICH THEY MIGHT BECAUSE OF NEIGHBOURLY RELATIONS BE READY TO STAND OUT IN FAVOUR OF LIFTING
THE BAN.
3. WE CONCLUDE THAT #TALY WILL TRY TO AVOID TAKING THE LEAD IN DEBATE: #F THE COMMUNITY IS SPLIT, WILL SIDE WITH THOSE ARGUING FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE BAN: BUT WOULD NOT STAND OUR AGAINST A CONSENSUS IN FAVOUR OF DROPPING IT, PERHAPS PROVIDED
SUITABLE TESTS WERE CARRIED OUT.
BRIDGES
FRAME GENERAL
ECD (E)
NED
EED
(ADVANCED AS REQUESTED)
Hinn 1661 нна
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
19 MAY 1986
DESK OFFICER
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