Deputy Prime Minister Suwit Khunkitti, Lord Selborne, Mr Schloegl, ladies and gentlemen. I am very pleased to be here today to speak at this important conference. The UK with the OECD and our host the Thai Government have helped to bring the Conference about. It is a conference in which we will participate and look forward to hearing your views.

I want to start by saying a few words about the global circumstances we are living in today. Last Wednesday I was in Delhi. On Friday I was in Beijing, today I'm in Bangkok and tomorrow I will be in Tokyo. The world really is getting smaller every day.

And because it is getting smaller we are increasingly dependent on each other. It is important to respect each other's values and agree rules to govern ourselves with the maximum consensus.

In the past global agreements were about war and peace, trade, aeroplanes, ships and free movement of people. The remarkable development of the last two decades has been the growing realisation that we also need global approaches to deal with the environment and food safety.

My own greatest interest is in climate change. You are involved in biotechnology. And we have other colleagues working to improve the ozone layer, to prevent acid rain, to halt desertification and to save endangered species. What all these have in common is that we are working across national boundaries — trying to accommodate national interests — for the good of the planet.

However, the process of international negotiations has been disrupted in recent years by violent protests at big international meetings. The global community was stunned by the violence at the Seattle World Trade talks and since then it has been shocked by riots at G8 Summits and even European Council Meetings. This violence challenges the very basis of global debate. I reject the violence, intimidation and "burn the books" mentality of some of the demonstrators.

That is why I am very pleased that there are such diverse groups of experts here from the biotech industry and from consumer groups and environmental groups as well as academics, scientists and government specialists. Our discussions must be conducted on the basis of rational, factual debate.

Global problems require global solutions and global consensus based on facts, reason and free and open discussion.

That is a difficult challenge where nations across the world are not only at different levels of economic development but also have different cultures and values. But we need to ensure that international rules and approaches are fair. They must be seen to be fair and accepted as fair by all involved.

We all need to listen to each other, and explore ways in which we can come closer to consensus.

The UK attaches particular importance to ensuring our approach to GM food and crop safety carries public confidence and my Prime Minister personally asked me to attend the opening of this conference.

This Conference is representative of all those involved in these important issues – from science, industry, society and government. All have an equal footing with an equal voice.

Part of the job of a politician is to help provide a national and international framework which allows innovation to flourish.

The human race has thrived on innovation and more innovation is desperately needed if we are to continue to thrive and improve the quality of life of our people.

Biotechnology has the potential to bring tremendous benefits. I think that is widely agreed. But we must make sure that we move ahead responsibly and do not store up trouble for the future.

The public's real concerns must be addressed and there must be greater transparency of information in the labelling of GM foods to allow genuine consumer choice.

At the moment much of the public is deeply suspicious of GM technology — and indeed of science itself. This has helped the press in particular to demonise it.

That is partly our fault for the failures of the past. There has been a lack of openness and transparency and a genuine belief that the biotech industry itself has tried to force products on an unwilling public.

All this is a warning that we must get the regulatory regime right. And it is a warning that my Government takes very seriously.

I know, of course, that GM technology brings with it potential risks. In the UK new developments will be rigorously assessed for risks to human health and the environment.

As part of this we are researching the impact of GM crops on biodiversity in our three year programme of farm scale evaluations. We will proceed on a precautionary basis drawing on the best scientific evidence. If there is doubt about a new product, it will not be allowed on the market. That —together with rules on GM food labelling — is the basis of the strict European regulatory system.

Despite that the public are still concerned about:

I hope this conference, with all of you brought together will allow you to discuss these issues and address them in the spirit of independence, openness, transparency and inclusiveness.

It is a conference not about the pros and cons of biotechnology, but about developing the right framework.

If I have learnt one thing over the last 4 years of climate change negotiations, it is that without the work done by these conferences, it is impossible for politicians to take the right decisions.

It is a credit to the UN agencies and other institutions here that they are directly involved in these discussions. They hold part of the answer to a better way of handling biotechnology.

I look forward to seeing the Chairman's conclusions and I know that my Prime Minister Tony Blair will listen and reflect carefully on what you have said when he attends the G8 Summit in Genoa next week.

I wish you all the best in your important discussions.