Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04BRATISLAVA629
2004-06-29 14:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:
CLONING BAN: SLOVAKIA WILL NOT CO-SPONSOR COSTA
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000629
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO LO UNGA KSCI
SUBJECT: CLONING BAN: SLOVAKIA WILL NOT CO-SPONSOR COSTA
RICAN RESOLUTION
REF: SECSTATE 121618
UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000629
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO LO UNGA KSCI
SUBJECT: CLONING BAN: SLOVAKIA WILL NOT CO-SPONSOR COSTA
RICAN RESOLUTION
REF: SECSTATE 121618
1. POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO DRAHOSLAV STEFANIK,
DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL LAW DEPARTMENT AT THE SLOVAK
MFA. STEFANIK STATED THAT SLOVAKIA WILL SUPPORT THE COSTA
RICAN RESOLUTION AS IT DID LAST YEAR, BUT HAS DECIDED NOT TO
CO-SPONSOR IN THE SIXTH COMMITTEE. DEBATE REGARDING
SLOVAKIA'S POSITION ON HUMAN CLONING WILL REOPEN IN
SEPTEMBER WHEN THE MFA SUBMITS ITS UN PRIORITIES TO THE
CABINET FOR APPROVAL. HOWEVER, STEFANIK STRESSED THAT ANY
CHANGE IN THIS POSITION IN UNLIKELY CONSIDERING THE
DIVERGENT VIEWS PRESENT IN SLOVAKIA. HE STATED THAT SLOVAKIA
SOUGHT A COMPROMISE TO BALANCE VARIOUS VIEWS BOTH
DOMESTICALLY AND IN THE REGION. STEFANIK SUGGESTED HAVING A
FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION IN SEPTEMBER.
2. POLOFFS ALSO MET MONS. BERT VAN MEGEN, FIRST SECRETARY IN
THE PAPAL NUNCIO'S OFFICE, TO SEEK CLOSER COOPERATION IN
ENCOURAGING THE SLOVAK GOVERNMENT TO CO-SPONSOR THE
RESOLUTION. HE WAS OPTIMISTIC THAT SLOVAK GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
WAS STEADFAST SINCE THE NEW DRAFT CRIMINAL CODE INCLUDES A
COMPREHENSIVE BAN ON CLONING. HE ADDED THAT A MEMBER OF THE
BISHOPS' CONFERENCE SITS ON THE SLOVAK BIO-ETHICS COMMITTEE
AND IS ONE OF SLOVAKIA'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES AT THE UN.
VAN MEGEN WAS ALSO ENCOURAGED BY SLOVAKIA'S INSISTENCE TO
MENTION GOD IN THE EU CONSTITUTION PREAMBLE. HE CONCLUDED
THAT SLOVAKIA IS MORE LIKELY THIS YEAR TO CO-SPONSOR THE
RESOLUTION, NOW THAT EU ACCESSION IS COMPLETE.
3. A JOINT DEMARCHE WITH COSTA RICA AND THE PAPAL NUNCIATE
IN SEPTEMBER MIGHT BE A NEXT STEP. ACCORDING TO THE SLOVAK
MFA, THE LAST COSTA RICAN DEMARCHE ON THIS ISSUE WAS TWO
MONTHS AGO. (NOTE: COSTA RICA DOES NOT HAVE AN EMBASSY IN
BRATISLAVA, SO TIMING WOULD HAVE TO BE COORDINATED WITH A
NON-RESIDENT EMBASSY.) POST WILL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THE
PROPOSED BAN ON CLONING WITH OFFICIALS IN THE MINISTRIES OF
HEALTH AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
WEISER
NNNN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO LO UNGA KSCI
SUBJECT: CLONING BAN: SLOVAKIA WILL NOT CO-SPONSOR COSTA
RICAN RESOLUTION
REF: SECSTATE 121618
1. POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO DRAHOSLAV STEFANIK,
DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL LAW DEPARTMENT AT THE SLOVAK
MFA. STEFANIK STATED THAT SLOVAKIA WILL SUPPORT THE COSTA
RICAN RESOLUTION AS IT DID LAST YEAR, BUT HAS DECIDED NOT TO
CO-SPONSOR IN THE SIXTH COMMITTEE. DEBATE REGARDING
SLOVAKIA'S POSITION ON HUMAN CLONING WILL REOPEN IN
SEPTEMBER WHEN THE MFA SUBMITS ITS UN PRIORITIES TO THE
CABINET FOR APPROVAL. HOWEVER, STEFANIK STRESSED THAT ANY
CHANGE IN THIS POSITION IN UNLIKELY CONSIDERING THE
DIVERGENT VIEWS PRESENT IN SLOVAKIA. HE STATED THAT SLOVAKIA
SOUGHT A COMPROMISE TO BALANCE VARIOUS VIEWS BOTH
DOMESTICALLY AND IN THE REGION. STEFANIK SUGGESTED HAVING A
FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION IN SEPTEMBER.
2. POLOFFS ALSO MET MONS. BERT VAN MEGEN, FIRST SECRETARY IN
THE PAPAL NUNCIO'S OFFICE, TO SEEK CLOSER COOPERATION IN
ENCOURAGING THE SLOVAK GOVERNMENT TO CO-SPONSOR THE
RESOLUTION. HE WAS OPTIMISTIC THAT SLOVAK GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
WAS STEADFAST SINCE THE NEW DRAFT CRIMINAL CODE INCLUDES A
COMPREHENSIVE BAN ON CLONING. HE ADDED THAT A MEMBER OF THE
BISHOPS' CONFERENCE SITS ON THE SLOVAK BIO-ETHICS COMMITTEE
AND IS ONE OF SLOVAKIA'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES AT THE UN.
VAN MEGEN WAS ALSO ENCOURAGED BY SLOVAKIA'S INSISTENCE TO
MENTION GOD IN THE EU CONSTITUTION PREAMBLE. HE CONCLUDED
THAT SLOVAKIA IS MORE LIKELY THIS YEAR TO CO-SPONSOR THE
RESOLUTION, NOW THAT EU ACCESSION IS COMPLETE.
3. A JOINT DEMARCHE WITH COSTA RICA AND THE PAPAL NUNCIATE
IN SEPTEMBER MIGHT BE A NEXT STEP. ACCORDING TO THE SLOVAK
MFA, THE LAST COSTA RICAN DEMARCHE ON THIS ISSUE WAS TWO
MONTHS AGO. (NOTE: COSTA RICA DOES NOT HAVE AN EMBASSY IN
BRATISLAVA, SO TIMING WOULD HAVE TO BE COORDINATED WITH A
NON-RESIDENT EMBASSY.) POST WILL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THE
PROPOSED BAN ON CLONING WITH OFFICIALS IN THE MINISTRIES OF
HEALTH AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
WEISER
NNNN