Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03VATICAN1055
2003-03-14 08:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

VATICAN REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO FULL CLONING BAN,

Tags:  PREL AORC TBIO VT UNGA KSIA 
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UNCLAS VATICAN 001055 

SIPDIS

FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI) IO/T

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL AORC TBIO VT UNGA KSIA
SUBJECT: VATICAN REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO FULL CLONING BAN,
WILLINGNESS TO COORDINATE ON UN CONVENTION

REF: A) STATE 51552 (NOTAL)

UNCLAS VATICAN 001055

SIPDIS

FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI) IO/T

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL AORC TBIO VT UNGA KSIA
SUBJECT: VATICAN REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO FULL CLONING BAN,
WILLINGNESS TO COORDINATE ON UN CONVENTION

REF: A) STATE 51552 (NOTAL)


1. PER DEPARTMENT'S REQUEST (REF A),DCM AND POLOFF REVIEWED
THE U.S. APPROACH TO ACHIEVING AN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION TO
BAN ALL FORMS OF HUMAN CLONING WITH NEW VATICAN DEPUTY
FOREIGN MINISTER PIETRO PAROLIN. PAROLIN, WHO WAS FULLY
CONVERSANT WITH THE STATE OF PLAY ON THE CONVENTION, ASSURED
US THAT THE HOLY SEE REMAINED FIRMLY COMMITTED TO WORKING
WITH US TO ACHIEVE A GLOBAL BAN ON ALL FORMS OF HUMAN
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 VATICA 01055 140925Z
CLONING. DCM EMPHASIZED THE GROWING INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
FOR A COMPLETE BAN, AND REITERATED THE FIRM U.S. OPPOSITION
TO A PARTIAL BAN. REFLECTING THE BROAD RANGE OF SUPPORT
AMONG KEY COUNTRIES, PAROLIN EXPRESSED THE HOLY SEE'S
WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE APPROACHING KEY UNDECIDED COUNTRIES
TO BUILD FURTHER SUPPORT PRIOR TO THE FINAL DECISION ON A
MANDATE FOR THE UN CLONING CONVENTION. HE AGREED TO DO SO
BOTH AT THE UN (VIA PERMANENT OBSERVER ARCHBISHOP MIGLIORE)
AND IN CAPITALS.


2. RECOGNIZING OUR VIEW OF THE HOLY SEE AS A KEY ALLY IN
ACHIEVING A COMPLETE BAN, DCM EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF AN
UNBENDING HOLY SEE POSITION IN FAVOR OF A COMPLETE BAN. WE
POINTED OUT THAT ANY SIGNAL OF HOLY SEE FLEXIBILITY TOWARD A
TWO-STEP APPROACH COULD OFFER WAVERING GOVERNMENTS MORAL
COVER FOR A POSITION IN FAVOR OF THE FRENCH-GERMAN TWO-STEP
APPROACH. WHILE REAFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR A COMPLETE BAN,
PAROLIN REITERATED THE POSITION, PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED BY
ARCHBISHOP MIGLIORE (REF B),THAT IF IT APPEARED THE PUSH FOR
A COMPLETE BAN WAS LEADING TO NO AGREEMENT AT ALL, THE HOLY
SEE WOULD SUPPORT A TWO-STEP PROCESS SUCH AS THE
FRENCH-GERMAN PROPOSAL. HE SAID THE HOLY SEE WOULD REGARD
THIS AS "THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS." AT THE SAME TIME, HE SAID
THE HOLY SEE WOULD INSIST ON LOCKING IN THE PRINCIPAL THAT NO
FORM OF CLONING WAS ACCEPTABLE, AND THAT WORK ON A
THERAPEUTIC BAN WOULD IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW ACHIEVEMENT OF THE
REPRODUCTIVE BAN. DCM POINTED OUT THAT LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
IN FRANCE AND GERMANY TO BAN CLONING COULD AFFECT THE
POSITION THESE COUNTRIES HAVE PREVIOUSLY PUT FORWARD.
PAROLIN DEMONSTRATED CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN THESE
DEVELOPMENTS AND AGREED THAT THEY WERE ENCOURAGING.
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 VATICA 01055 140925Z


3. COMMENT: PAROLIN'S CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE STATUS OF
THE CLONING ISSUE AND HIS AFFIRMATION THAT THE HOLY SEE'S
GOAL REMAINS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL PRINCIPLE
THAT HUMAN CLONING IN ANY FORM WAS UNACCEPTABLE SUGGEST THAT
HE WILL BE A STRONG ALLY IN OUR EFFORT TO ACHIEVE AN
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION BANNING ALL FORMS OF CLONING.
PAROLIN APPEARED PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN OUR TALLY OF
COUNTRIES MAKING UP THE THREE STREAMS OF THOUGHT ON A
CONVENTION, AS WELL AS DOMESTIC LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN
KEY COUNTRIES. EMBASSY RECOMMENDS THE DEPARTMENT AND USUN
KEEP THE HOLY SEE UP TO DATE ON SUPPORT FOR THE FULL BAN AND
ON DOMESTIC POLITICAL SHIFTS IN KEY COUNTRIES SO THEY CAN
TARGET THEIR ADVOCACY MOST EFFECTIVELY ON COUNTRIES IN LATIN
AMERICA, AFRICA AND ASIA WHERE THE HOLY SEE CAN BEST BRING
ITS INFLUENCE TO BEAR.

NICHOLSON

UNCLASSIFIED

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2003VATICA01055 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED