STRASBOURG, SEP 7,2000 (ZENIT.org).- Today the European Parliament approved a
document presented by different political forces, among which are the
European Popular Party and the Greens, opposing "therapeutic" cloning,
that is, the cloning of embryos for the use of cells, tissues and
organs. In addition, the document calls on the British government to
review its stance on the cloning of human embryos.

The Strasbourg resolution asks the governments of the European Union "to
introduce binding norms that prohibit all forms of research on any type
of human cloning in their territory, and provide penal sanctions for any
violation."

The Europarliamentary document, which has political and moral, but not
legislative, value, states that therapeutic cloning, "which implies the
creation of human embryos exclusively for research purposes, posits a
profound ethical dilemma, and represents a step with no turning back as
regards norms for research."

Likewise, the document appeals to the European Commission to watch that
no research center, which carries out these practices, receives the
benefit of aid from the Fifth Mark Community Research Program.

Victory by 7 Votes
The proposal was approved by only 7 votes. The Strasbourg semicircle
adopted the resolution presented by the Popular European group, the most
numerous in the chamber, the Green group, and other deputies of
Conservative groups by 237 votes in favor, 230 against, and 43
abstentions.

The majority of the Socialist and Liberal groups, second and third in
terms of number of deputies, voted against the text because it calls on
the British government, presided over by Labor's Tony Blair, "to modify
its intention" to authorize the cloning of human embryos for research
purposes.

The Eurodeputies believe there are "other methods" to cure diseases than
the cloning of human embryos. Hence, they request that the European
Union promote in the United Nations "a universal and specific
prohibition of the cloning of human beings at all the stages of their
development." In addition, they request that projects be financed that
seek therapies to cure grave sicknesses without the use of human
embryos.

The result of the voting revealed the profound division that this matter
caused in the Eurochamber, following the debate generated by Tony
Blair's announcement that the British government is prepared to
authorize the cloning of human embryos for therapeutic ends.

The unheard-of alliance of Populars, Conservatives, and Ecologists made
possible the approval of the resolution most opposed to this type of
research, as it is considered very difficult to distinguish between
cloning for therapeutic ends and cloning for reproduction.

"Common sense won," Belgian Paul Lannoye, spokesman of the Green group,
said after the voting.

Special Commission?
The resolution avoids pronouncing on the proposal to create a temporal
commission within the European Parliament, which will study the ethical
and legal aspects of cloning human embryos, but it virtually buries the
possibility that such a committee might be established.

If the creation of this commission is decided upon, the resolution
points out, "as a starting point, the view expressed in the resolutions
approved by this chamber will have to be kept in mind" and only study
"aspects on which the European Parliament has not pronounced itself
clearly."
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