On Friday, 18 February, the legal commission of the United Nations General Assembly voted in favour of a non-legally binding agreement that asks member states to prohibit all forms of cloning and ban research on embryonic stem cells.

The text, presented by Honduras, was approved by 71 votes with 35 countries against and 43 abstentions. Two amendments aimed at removing any reference to the protection of human life in cloning techniques were rejected.

Member States "would be called on to prohibit all forms of human cloning inasmuch as they are incompatible with human dignity and the protection of human life” indicated the declaration.

In a speech after the vote, the representative of China, Su Wei, indicated that the Declaration was not legally binding in his country and that China would continue with therapeutic cloning. Singapore and the United Kingdom echoed this reaction.

Bishop Celestino Migliore, who heads the Holy See's Permanent Observer Mission to the UN, said he was satisfied that the vast majority of countries "had reaffirmed their clear determination to protect human life". He hoped the international community would continue along these lines to promote the progress of medical science in firm and complete respect for human life. However, he regretted that a consensus had not been reached on a text referring to the protection of human life. He recalled that "the Holy See is in favour of a complete ban on cloning as, reassured by the promises of medicine, which already foresees the successful use of adult stem cells, he cannot condone the use and destruction of human embryos".

Zenit 20/02/05 - Radio Chine International 18/02/05 - Le Nouvel Observateur 23/02/05

The pope's new book, entitled "Memory and Identity", was presented last week by Cardinal Ratzinger. The book is a collection of interviews with John Paul II and some of his Polish friends whom he met with during the summer of 1993. It is a philosophical reflection on changes in the world in the 20th century, beginning with Nazism and Communism and ending with an analysis of society today. Though this book, the pope warns against developments in our modern democracies. He encourages people to reflect upon the notion of good and evil, and especially in the case of serious subjects like abortion, drawing a comparison with regimes that signed into law reprehensible practices that disregarded human life. He stressed, in particular, that a "legally elected Parliament brought Hitler to power" and that "this same Parliament gave Hitler powers which paved the way for the political invasion of Europe, the creation of concentration camps and the implementation of the 'final solution' ".

"It is from this perspective that we have to question the legal regulations that have been decided in the parliaments of present day democracies," he added. "The most direct association which comes to mind is the abortion laws," he concluded.

Libération 23/02/05 - Zenit 23/02/05 - Le Monde (Henri Tincq) 24/02/05 - La Croix (Yves Pitette) 24/02/05 - Le Figaro (Sophie de Ravinel) 24/02/05

In the "Débats et Opinions" (Discussions and Opinions) section of the French daily, Le Figaro, Ivan Rioufol commented on the abortion issue. He quoted statements made in this regard by Jerry Sainte Rose, counsel for the prosecution at the French Supreme Court of Appeal, following a ruling by the Metz Court of Appeal (see press review of 18/02/05).

Jerry Sainte-Rose denounced: "The law is in the grip of ideology. Since 2000, it has refused to uphold manslaughter charges with regard to unborn children, even if they die in circumstances that cannot be compared to an abortion and irrespective of their stage of development. He stressed that he did not wish to call into question the 1975 abortion law but recalled that up until 2000, this law had not prevented the courts from acknowledging criminal responsibility in the accidental death of a foetus.

This explains why we are now experiencing a complete contradiction: harming a foetus in the mother's womb is considered a crime if it is born alive or dies after being born but killing it just before birth is not punishable.

In conclusion, he stressed, "Unborn animals are protected under criminal law. If you accidentally destroy the 'parental project' of a green toad, loggerhead shrike, viperine grass snake or Spanish moon moth while out walking, you risk six months' imprisonment (article L. 415-3 of the French Environment Code). Unequal treatment between human beings and animals reveals that, in this regard, the highest authorities are not making any sense," he added.

 Le Figaro 25/02/05

The case of Terri Schiavo, who has been in a coma for several years, is currently dividing her family in Florida. Her husband wants doctors to "let her die" but her parents are against this. Terri's husband, who remains her legal guardian, wants to have her feeding tube removed, which would cause his wife to die "of hunger". Despite her reliance on a feeding tube, Mrs Schiavo reacts to certain external stimuli. A Florida judge has ruled that the machines must remain switched on until 5pm today, which will give her parents time to appeal.

Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, reacted by declaring: "If Mr Schiavo succeeded in obtaining legal permission for causing the death of his wife, this would not only be tragic in itself but would be a serious step towards legal approval of euthanasia in the United States." He also recalled the pope's recent words to the Pontifical Academy for Life: "The quality of life must not be viewed in terms of economic success, beauty or physical pleasure but consists in the supreme dignity of the creature made in the image and likeness of God. No one can be the arbiter of life except God himself."

Zenit 25/02/05