TEHRAN (Mehr News Agency) -- The United Nations on Thursday narrowly voted to postpone for two years debates on competing human cloning resolutions that had divided the General Assembly, the UN reported in its website.

In an 80 to 79 ballot with 15 abstentions, the Assembly's Legal Committee approved a procedural motion from Iran, backed by 56 mostly Islamic States, that effectively put off a showdown on the two resolutions. The motion was moved by Iran on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), supported by the representatives of Belgium and India.  The representatives of Uganda and Spain spoke in opposition of the motion. 

Although both versions -- one banning all forms of human cloning, and the other just the cloning of babies -- ban all human reproductive cloning, they differ on language referring to the treatment of human cells for other than reproduction. Iran’s representative told the assembly meeting that the OIC had agreed in an ambassadorial meeting on October 28 that the discussions of the matter should be deferred for two years.  He said he was deeply concerned that no consensus had been reached on the very delicate subject of human cloning.  “The additional time would permit study of the issue and to come up with a better basis for consensus,” the envoy said.  “The OIC did not intend to take sides with either resolution.  The motion was without prejudice to national positions taken to date.”

The vote in the Legal Committee means neither resolution will get to the General Assembly for at least two years.

Michele Montas, spokesperson for Assembly President Julian R. Hunte of St. Lucia, had described the body as "divided" on the issue. A Belgian draft, submitted with 13 co-sponsors, while banning all human reproductive cloning, calls upon nations "to take action to control other forms of human cloning by adopting a ban or imposing a moratorium or regulating them by means of national legislation."

A draft sponsored by Costa Rica and 44 other countries bans all forms of human cloning.

In both cases the drafts are not meant to come to resolutions, but to frame the instructions to an ad hoc committee, which, in turn, would be charged with drawing up a resolution. END MNA