UN Agrees to Postpone Vote on Human Cloning Ban

UN Agrees to Postpone Vote on Human Cloning Ban

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 6, 2003

New York, NY (LifeNews.com) -- In a very close vote, the United Nations has decided to postpone a vote on a treaty that would ask nations worldwide to ban all forms of human cloning.

The Bush administration had signed on to a human cloning ban put forward by Costa Rica and 60 other nations that would ban both human cloning for reproduction as well as research purposes. However, a smaller group of nations led by Belgium and other European countries prefer a ban on only reproductive cloning.

Pro-life countries oppose the use of human cloning for research that involves the destruction of human embryos while other nations said such a ban would limit scientific research.

The tension prompted a bloc of more than 50 Islamic nations, led by Iran, to propose delaying the vote for two years so the issue could be studied further. Advocates of the partial ban joined forces with them while the Bush administration lobbied heavily in an attempt to defeat it.

The General Assembly vote was close with 80 countries voting favor of the delay, 79 voting against it and 15 abstaining.

James Cunningham, Deputy Ambassador to the UN said the U.S. would use the next two years to "enlarge the body of international opinion" in support of the total ban. Had the ban come up for a vote, Cunningham said the Bush administration had found more than 100 supporters.

The UN had been considering the ban for almost two years and representatives from Spain, one of the supporters of the complete ban, said the vote "sends the message that we have not proved capable of reflecting on this and taking a decision after this length of time."

Pro-life lobbyists at the UN agreed that proponents of a complete human cloning ban would have won.

"What happened today was a clear sign that the pro-cloning forces knew they were going to lose," said Austin Ruse, president of the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute.

"As nations became more conversant with the scientific and ethical ramifications of the creation of cloned human beings for use in medical research projects, support for such a ban was undeniably gaining strength," Ruse explained.

A UN representative of the African country of Uganda asked the other nations, "Why were we informed that this was an important issue that had to be arrested before it got out of hand" by the same countries now advocating deferral?


Enter your email address to receive news from LifeNews.com via email. Do you prefer to receive news daily or weekly? Daily Weekly Do you favor or oppose abortion? Favor Oppose Click here to make a PayPal donation to LifeNews.com!	UN Agrees to Postpone Vote on Human Cloning Ban by Steven Ertelt LifeNews.com Editor November 6, 2003 New York, NY (LifeNews.com) -- In a very close vote, the United Nations has decided to postpone a vote on a treaty that would ask nations worldwide to ban all forms of human cloning. The Bush administration had signed on to a human cloning ban put forward by Costa Rica and 60 other nations that would ban both human cloning for reproduction as well as research purposes. However, a smaller group of nations led by Belgium and other European countries prefer a ban on only reproductive cloning. Pro-life countries oppose the use of human cloning for research that involves the destruction of human embryos while other nations said such a ban would limit scientific research. The tension prompted a bloc of more than 50 Islamic nations, led by Iran, to propose delaying the vote for two years so the issue could be studied further. Advocates of the partial ban joined forces with them while the Bush administration lobbied heavily in an attempt to defeat it. The General Assembly vote was close with 80 countries voting favor of the delay, 79 voting against it and 15 abstaining. James Cunningham, Deputy Ambassador to the UN said the U.S. would use the next two years to "enlarge the body of international opinion" in support of the total ban. Had the ban come up for a vote, Cunningham said the Bush administration had found more than 100 supporters. The UN had been considering the ban for almost two years and representatives from Spain, one of the supporters of the complete ban, said the vote "sends the message that we have not proved capable of reflecting on this and taking a decision after this length of time." Pro-life lobbyists at the UN agreed that proponents of a complete human cloning ban would have won. "What happened today was a clear sign that the pro-cloning forces knew they were going to lose," said Austin Ruse, president of the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute. "As nations became more conversant with the scientific and ethical ramifications of the creation of cloned human beings for use in medical research projects, support for such a ban was undeniably gaining strength," Ruse explained. A UN representative of the African country of Uganda asked the other nations, "Why were we informed that this was an important issue that had to be arrested before it got out of hand" by the same countries now advocating deferral?