France and Germany in drive to ban human cloning

France and Germany are pushing for an international convention outlawing human cloning worldwide, amid international outrage over plans by an Italian doctor to produce the world's first cloned baby.

The two countries have written to the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, to urge action during the coming session of the 189-nation UN General Assembly, which opens next month. They want the assembly to set up a special committee that would draft an international treaty.

"The objective is an international and effective ban on the reproductive cloning of humans and the creation of a globally applicable ethical boundary for the relevant areas of research," a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

The French health minister, Bernard Kouchner, weighed in yesterday, saying it was "simply morally unacceptable to create life while hijacking its very meaning."

"We have to ban the photocopying of human beings now," he told the newspaper Le Monde. On a related issue, George Bush last night planned a televised address announcing what has been described as the most important decision of his Presidency yet, on whether to permit government funding for stem cell research.

The issue divides the scientific and religious conservative communities and has split his Republican party. The debate pits those who believe stem cell research can lead to medical advances in a variety of illnesses against those opposed to any research that destroys human embryos.

"The President has considered the scientific and ethical issues involved," a White House spokesman said yesterday. "This is a decision which will have far-reaching implications for America 20 to 30 years from now and beyond."

Though his aides gave no clue which way the President would jump, the balance of expectation was that Mr Bush would give qualified authorisation for the scheme. His health secretary, Tommy Thompson, who supports federal funding, indicated that he was happy with the President's decision, and was confident the public would be as well. Laura Bush, the First Lady, has also publicly left the door open for a go-ahead.

Federal funding for research into embryonic stem cells, whose potential to regenerate damaged body tissue offers hopes of curing such illnesses as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, strokes and diabetes, was approved by President Bill Clinton, but Mr Bush put the problem under review in February, shortly after he took office.

Six months on, the stakes could hardly be higher, for two reasons. Whatever he decides is bound to deeply upset an important constituency; a go-ahead would deeply upset anti-abortionists (among whom Mr Bush counts himself) and conservative Christians who are an important part of his political constituency. The Pope himself urged a ban during an audience with the President at the Vatican last month.

But a ban would win Mr Bush few friends in the moderate centre where he is weak, and antagonise swaths of the scientific community. The Republican party is also split.

Although the leadership of the party's majority in the House of Representatives has come out vehemently against stem cell research, Bill Frirst, a doctor, Tennessee senator and key Bush ally, is in favour. No less than 61 of the 100 senators, including 13 Republicans, have signed a motion backing the project.

Scarcely less important is the matter of presentation; hence the decision to address the nation on prime-time television.

The calculation is that a thoughtful and convincingly argued speech will help build the gravitas, which in the eyes of many Americans Mr Bush still lacks.

Whatever his decision on stem cell research, the President is likely to emphasise his opposition to deliberate, fullscale human cloning, as advocated by the controversial Italian doctor Severino Antinori. At a conference here this week, Dr Antinori said he planned to launch in November a programme to provide cloned children for infertile couples.

- INDEPENDENT