US embassy cable - 03VATICAN5192

UNCLAS  VATICAN 005192 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (LEVIN); OES/IHA, IO/PPC, IO/UNP, L/UNA 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL, SOCI, TBIO, VT, UN 
SUBJECT: VATICAN TO CONTINUE EFFORTS ON BANNING HUMAN 
EMBRYONIC CLONING DESPITE UN DELAY 
 
REF: A) VATICAN 3359; B) VATICAN 3737 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (SBU) Holy See Acting Foreign Minister Pietro Parolin 
expressed disappointment with the UN decision to postpone a 
vote on competing resolutions that propose bans on human 
cloning in a November 13 meeting with the Charge.  He 
added, however, that the Vatican was buoyed by the progress 
that had been made with international opinion on the issue, 
and would continue its efforts to convince the undecided 
and opponents of the ban.  Earlier in the week, the Pope 
reaffirmed the Vatican's position on stem cell research -- 
including his strong opposition to therapeutic cloning -- 
in an address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Disappointment with Delay . . . 
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2.(SBU) In a November 13 meeting with the Charge, Holy 
See Acting Foreign Minister Pietro Parolin expressed 
disappointment in the decision of the Legal Committee of 
the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to postpone by two years a 
vote on a global ban on the practice of reproductive and 
therapeutic cloning.  He reaffirmed the Holy See's 
determination to continue to work on the issue, agreeing 
ruefully when the Charge pointed out that scientific 
developments in cloning would unfortunately move ahead 
quickly over the next two years in the absence of 
international action.  Parolin said the Vatican had not yet 
mapped out a specific strategy, but would likely continue 
working to build support among Islamic countries with whom 
it had had some success in finding common ground on the 
issue, as well as among predominantly Catholic countries. 
He also thanked the U.S. for its efforts to achieve a ban 
on all human cloning, and promised continued cooperation 
from the Holy See. 
 
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. . . but Satisfaction at Progress 
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3.  (SBU) Parolin emphasized that, the close vote for 
postponement notwithstanding, the Holy See was buoyed by 
the progress that had been made internationally on the 
issue, both among governments and public opinion. 
(Comment:  The Holy See had initially been doubtful that 
enough countries would come around to support a resolution 
that would also ban therapeutic cloning, but was spurred to 
support the complete ban in part by U.S. determination to 
fight for it.  End Comment.)  The Holy See's lobbying 
efforts on behalf of the Costa Rican draft resolution had 
generated more traction than the Vatican had expected, as 
more and more countries came out in favor a ban on both 
reproductive and therapeutic cloning. 
 
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Pope Reaffirms Vatican Position 
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4.  (U) Earlier in the week, the Pope reaffirmed the 
Church's rejection of experimentation on embryonic stem 
cells (and, by implication, the therapeutic cloning which 
is often a part of such work) when he received members of 
the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in audience on November 
10.  The scientists were meeting to analyze the scientific 
and bioethical implications of stem cell technology and 
other therapies. 
 
5.  (U) In his English-language address, John Paul II 
observed: "Research in this field has understandably grown 
 
 
in importance in recent years because of the hope it offers 
for the cure of ills affecting many people."  He added: "I 
have on other occasions stated that stem cells for purposes 
of experimentation or treatment cannot come from human 
embryo tissue.  I have instead encouraged research on adult 
human tissue or tissue superfluous to normal fetal 
development."  Reaffirming his rejection of therapeutic 
cloning, the Pope stressed: "Any treatment which claims to 
save human lives, yet is based upon the destruction of 
human life in its embryonic state, is logically and morally 
contradictory, as is any production of human embryos for 
the direct or indirect purpose of experimentation or 
eventual destruction." 
 
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Comment: Holy See to Continue to Press for Ban 
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6.  (SBU) The Holy See will use the time before UNGA's next 
consideration of the issue vigorously to lobby its moral 
allies on the issue (both predominantly Catholic countries 
as well as Islamic nations), and also to continue dialogue 
with states that are sympathetic to the development of 
therapeutic cloning.  The Holy See remains open to 
continuing its close collaboration with the U.S. on this 
issue, and would welcome U.S. perspectives on the way ahead 
over the next two years in light of the UN vote. 
 
HARDT 
 
 
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 2003VATICA05192 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED