APO 28.04.97 20:53
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VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- The government rejected citizens' demands for a five-year ban on genetic engineering, deciding instead to urge companies not to apply for patents on such products for now.
After a meeting of government ministers and environmentalists, Chancellor Viktor Klima said Monday it made little sense for Austria to try and be an enclave if other European Union countries permit genetically engineered products.
The government, however, will call on companies to hold off on patent applications until liability questions are cleared up, Klima said.
More than 1.2 million Austrians voted in a non-binding referendum April 14 in favor of a ban on producing or selling genetically altered food and a prohibition on patents for organisms created in genetic laboratories.
The EU recently decided to allow imports of genetically altered corn into Europe. Farmers, environmentalists and consumer groups contend that the corn, mostly from the United States, hasn't been tested adequately.