Nuncio: Freedom to protect life trumps push for freedom to clone

Published: 2003-10-22

UNITED NATIONS (CNS) -- The Vatican nuncio to the United Nations told a committee dealing with the issue of human cloning that those who argue in favor of freedom to engage in such research should think about "freedom for life itself." Freedom to protect life is the core of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and "the reality underpinning our work here," said Archbishop Celestino Migliore. The United Nations is debating whether to write an international convention on cloning, and the key issue is whether to ban all forms of human cloning or to prohibit only reproductive cloning and leave for a later decision the issue of cloning pursued in hope of finding cures for diseases. For the Vatican's U.N. mission, this issue has become a principal focus during the current session of the General Assembly. A paper setting forth Vatican arguments in favor of a ban on all forms of human cloning was distributed to other U.N. missions in the summer, and Archbishop Migliore reiterated the Vatican position in a statement to a working group that wrestled with the issue for a week in late September and early October.

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