This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS QUITO 000515 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO EC
SUBJECT: GOE SUPPORTS UNGA ANTI-CLONING RESOLUTION 
 
REF: SECSTATE 33944 
 
¶1.  (U) In response to Reftel, the Embassy March 2 
transmitted anti-human cloning points and draft UNGA 
resolution to the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry's Multilateral 
Affairs subsecretariat and the Vatican Embassy.  In a 
follow-up telcon March 3, MFA Director General for Human 
Rights Carmen Larrea told Poloff that Ecuador's constitution 
(Article 23, Section 2) prohibited the improper application 
and use of human genetic material.  "Improper" was the key 
word, Larrea emphasized.  Ecuadorian experts believed that no 
convincing evidence currently existed to prove that human 
cloning offered therapeutic benefits, making support for 
ongoing experimentation improper.  On those grounds, Ecuador 
had voted for the UN Sixth Committee's Declaration Against 
Human Cloning, and would support the upcoming anti-cloning 
UNGA resolution without amendments. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Holy See Charge d'Affaires Mark Miles told Poloff 
March 3 that the Vatican was fully energized in support of 
the UNGA resolution.  The newly-named Ecuadorian nuncio, in 
Rome for consultations, had telephoned Miles earlier that 
day, urging him to seek an immediate audience with Foreign 
Minister Patricio Zuquilanda.  As Zuquilanda and Deputy FM 
Edwin Johnson were unavailable, Miles instead called on the 
MFA's Number 3, Subsecretary for Bilateral Affairs Roberto 
Betancourt.  Betancourt's message tracked closely with 
Larrea's.  He informed the Vatican envoy that Ecuador 
supported the UNGA resolution as-is; the MFA would issue 
voting instructions to its UN mission March 4. 
KENNEY