CROATIA SUPPORTS DELAY ON HUMAN CLONING RESOLUTION

UNCLAS ZAGREB 002367 SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/T: JCOWLEY USUN FOR CWILLSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO HR UNGA SUBJECT: CROATIA SUPPORTS DELAY ON HUMAN CLONING RESOLUTION REF: STATE 308654 ON NOVEMBER 5 WE DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS AND DIPLOMATIC NOTE TO DUBRAVKA SIMONOVIC, MFA DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. SIMONOVIC, A LOCALLY RECOGNIZED EXPERT, HAS A DOCTORATE IN BIO-MEDICAL ETHICS AND SERVES ON THE GOC COMMISSION FOR THE SAME. SHE TOLD US CROATIA IS FIRMLY AGAINST HUMAN CLONING. PARLIAMENT HAS RATIFIED THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE PROTOCOL ON THE PROHIBITION OF HUMAN CLONING UNDER THE CONVENTION ON BIO-MEDICAL ETHICS. HOWEVER, CROATIA WILL SUPPORT A DELAYING ACTION, EITHER A VOTE ON NO-ACTION OR A MOTION TO DEFER, IN ORDER TO GAIN TIME TO BUILD A CONSENSUS POSITION. CROATIA BELIEVES THERE IS A NARROWING OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE COSTA RICAN AND BELGIUM RESOLUTIONS, AND THAT NOW MAY NOT BE THE BEST TIME FOR THE UN TO TAKE UP THIS ISSUE. FRANK NNNN