Today's Date:

FRANCE/UN/Cloning

Q. – What is France's position in the current debate?

M. DE LA SABLIERE – It was France who, with Germany, launched the debate in the General Assembly a few years back, since we think something absolutely essential is at stake. Clearly, given the importance of human bioethics, we need a rule-making instrument. What is essential, and it's very important, is for there to be a consensus. Some people say there needs to be a convention totally prohibiting cloning: cloning for reproductive purposes and therapeutic cloning. So, a total ban. Others, including France, say that this approach is ineffectual since the international community is divided on therapeutic cloning.

BELGIAN PROPOSAL

We are developing an approach which distinguishes between the two forms of cloning. Here, Belgium has a leading position and we subscribe to it. We're saying that we have to go for what's essential. We all agree with the view that cloning for reproductive purposes should be prohibited. Well, let's say so, let's do it straightaway. That's the essential thing. Then, when it comes to therapeutic cloning, since there's no agreement between us, there can be provision for three options: a ban for those who want to ban it, a moratorium for those who want to reflect further and national regulations. There must, at the very least, be some regulation of therapeutic cloning.

COSTA RICA/US/THERAPEUTIC CLONING/FRANCE

Q. – Doesn't the position of some States, especially Costa Rica, and clearly also the United States, in a way reveal the legitimate fears of the general public in some countries that medical cloning will lead to reproductive cloning?

M. DE LA SABLIERE – We have to decide what we want to do here. Do we want simply to assert a position? Say what we want the law to be in our own country? Incidentally, I would stress here that in terms of legislation France has gone a very long way, since she prohibits cloning for reproductive purposes, punishes any violation of the ban and also makes such violation a crime against the human race. Similarly, we have prohibited cloning for therapeutic purposes, which is an offence. By way of derogation, we are authorizing research for five years when there's a possibility of it leading to therapeutic advances.

For me, it isn't just a matter of saying here what France's position is, of saying what we're doing. We need a comprehensive approach, to be effective and secure the agreement of the whole international community. If you have a ban in one country and the neighbouring country doesn't, we won't have achieved our objective which is first of all to ban reproductive cloning throughout the world. If we can't ban reproductive cloning throughout the world, we'll be taking an enormous risk. We must unite on this essential point.

BELGIAN PROPOSAL

Q. – What sort of guarantee do you think we can have in an international text to be sure that cloning remains therapeutic?

M. DE LA SABLIERE – In Belgium's proposal which, I repeat, we support, the guarantee is in the rules. What's currently being negotiated isn't the actual text of the convention, it's the mandate for the convention. It's for the negotiators subsequently to elaborate on the rules./.