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

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