No to cloning

TWENTY European countries recentlysigned a treaty which effectively banshuman cloning. They signed the firstinternational convention to controlresearch into human genetic engineeringand cloning at the Convention onHuman Rights and Bio-medicine inOviedo, Spain. The accord prohibitsthe use of genetic engineering techniquesfor anything other than medical purposes.The treaty specifically forbids the production of human embryos exclusivelyfor research purposesand prevents parentsfrom using in-vitrofertilisation techniquesto choose the sex of theirchildren. "This agreement is based on thegeneral principle that theinterests and rights ofindividual humans mustprevail over the interestsof science," said Spain'shealth minister JoseManuel Romay. SeveralAsian and Americancountries are expected tosign the treaty.