| Date | 9 December 2003 |
|---|
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Agenda item 158
International convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings
Report of the Sixth Committee (A/58/520)
Draft resolution (A/58/L.37)
The President
After consultations with concerned delegations, it is my understanding that there is an agreement whereby no action will be taken on the recommendation by the Sixth Committee contained in paragraph 14 of its report (A/58/520) or on draft resolution A/58/L.37. It is also my understanding that there is agreement to adopt the following decision: "The General Assembly decides that the item entitled 'International convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings' will be included in the provisional agenda of its fifty-ninth session."
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to proceed along those lines?
The President
I now call on those representatives who wish to speak in explanation of position on the decision just adopted. May I remind delegations that explanations of position are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.
Sir Emyr Jones Parry (United Kingdom)
The United Kingdom is profoundly disappointed by the actions of those who sought, until very recently, to overturn the decision of the Sixth Committee.
During the deliberations of the Sixth Committee, we made clear the views of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is totally opposed to reproductive cloning, and we were one of the first countries in the world to introduce specific legislation to ban that possibility.
However, in our view, therapeutic cloning is a different matter. The United Kingdom believes that all types of stem cell research, including therapeutic cloning, should be encouraged. Indeed, we believe that it would be indefensible to stop such research and deny millions of people -- and their families -- the chance of new treatments that could save their lives. The international scientific community supports that view. More than 60 of the world's leading scientific academies, including the United States National Academy of Sciences, published a joint statement in September 2003 calling on the United Nations to ban reproductive cloning -- but to permit therapeutic cloning research.
The United Kingdom respects the cultural, religious and social differences that may lead other countries to reach different conclusions on what type of research may be appropriate in their own national settings. We have no wish to impose our view on other countries or to interfere in decisions that have been legitimately taken by other national Governments. We believe that it would be totally unjustifiable to attempt to impose a ban on therapeutic cloning in those countries that have reached a national consensus in favour of such research, that have nationally agreed regulatory systems for embryo research, and that are working to deliver new treatments for serious and life-threatening diseases.
I have already expressed our disappointment at the present situation. We believe that the United Nations should proceed through consensus. It is clear that there is no consensus with respect to therapeutic cloning research. But, by ignoring that fact and pressing for action to ban all cloning, supporters of the Costa Rican draft resolution have effectively destroyed the possibility of action on the important area on which we are all agreed -- a ban on reproductive cloning.
I wish to make clear that the United Kingdom would never be party to any convention that aimed to introduce a global ban on therapeutic cloning; neither will the United Kingdom participate in the drafting of such a convention or apply it in its national law. Therapeutic cloning research will continue to be permitted in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Samy (Egypt)
The delegation of Egypt joined the consensus of the General Assembly in its consideration of agenda item 158. Nevertheless, we should like to place on record the following two points.
First, the Egyptian delegation expresses its dissatisfaction at the precedent of the Assembly reconsidering in plenary meeting issues already discussed by the Sixth Committee and altering -- even dropping -- recommendations made in the Committee's report. We are fully aware that the plenary has the right to take any action it deems appropriate with regard to any recommendation made by any of the Main Committees. At the same time, however, I should like to express our concern at the possible repercussions of that precedent on the Committees' future actions and on the Assembly's relationship with its Committees.
Secondly, because the General Committee recommended referral of item 158 to the Sixth Committee, instead of recommending referral to the Assembly in plenary meeting, it is not procedurally permissible to submit any documents under the item to the plenary for consideration. Here, we should like to recall the consideration of agenda item 108, which was referred to both the Third Committee and the plenary. If the General Assembly had wished to grant jurisdiction to both plenary meetings and the Sixth Committee to consider item 158, then it would have done so, as was the case with item 108. Therefore, we have procedural doubts about the soundness of presenting document A/58/L.37.
The President
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 158?
