Tehran, Oct 13, IRNA � President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday submitted to Majlis a 9-article bill on �conservation and utilization of genetic resources� which had been proposed by the Agriculture Jihad Ministry and approved by the government.
The cabinet ministers approved the bill with regard to diversity of genetic resources in the country and lack of management coherence in utilization and preservation of the resources as well as the need for observation of international conventions and protocols related to agricultural genetic resources.
According to Article 2 of the bill, genetic resources that exist in the main habitat or in complexes out of the original habitat within the territory and sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran or those genetic resources that are of Iranian origin but are being kept in public or private centers outside the country as well as their relevant information and traditional knowledge are considered public asset and are accessible and can be used.

Based on Article 8 of the bill, gaining access to genetic resources and their utilization in the absence of observance of the conditions and export of the resources without permission of the guardian organization will be subject to punishments stipulated in the Islamic Penal Code.

By IRNA

 

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