The United Nations (UN) Sixth Committee (Legal) has decided that there is no possibility of breaking the deadlock on a treaty to ban all types of human cloning. The latest debate on this issue took place on 19 November, after which it was announced that a decision on a treaty could not be reached. Instead the Sixth Committee has agreed to debate a non-binding draft resolution submitted by Italy for an international convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings. While the resolution calls for a ban on reproductive cloning, individual countries will be able to legislate as they wish in regards to therapeutic cloning. It also calls for countries to prohibit genetic engineering techniques contrary to human dignity.
The debates on this issue have been extensive (see PHGU newsletter articles October 2004, December 2003, October 2003). The US and Costa Rica, together with over 50 other countries, had fought for a ban on both reproductive and therapeutic cloning. The opposing group, led by Belgium and the United Kingdom, favoured a ban on reproductive cloning but not on therapeutic cloning. The latest vote was postponed, as there were fears by the United States that a vote against a total ban would have a negative effect on President Bush’s chances in the Presidential elections in early November. However, while Mr Bush won the election, the US did not win the total ban on cloning it had wanted. More discussion on this subject is forthcoming, however, as debates on the wording of the draft resolution will be held in February 2005.