CoE risks to back a Dangerous+UnPopular BioEthics policy, Unchecked by its New Governing Majority ?

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- CoE's Committee of Ministers reportedly risked to endorse a not so Old, but Out-Dated and UnPopular Policy, Unchecked yet by its New Secretary General, Marija Buric, and the Political Majority who Elected her at CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly, on the currently "Hot" Global Human Rights Issue of BioEthics Tomorrow, on February 5, 2020.

But, finaly, the latest version of its draft Agenda, as published, apparently Skips that highly Controversial matter, eventually for Later-on, (See Infra).

Indeed, it's Since 2017 that CoE's competent BioEthics' Committee has been Drafting a "Strategic Action Plan", "on Human rights and Technologies" (sic !), as the Committee of Ministers had been officially informed then, (See Infra).

But Buric was elected by PACE on June 2019, and took over her new Duties only on October 2010, i.e. just 1,5 Month before a first Version of that complex and multifacet "Plan" was Adopted by the BioEthics Committee, on November 2019, i.e. obviously withOut having Sufficient Time to really Check, Discuss, and eventually UpDate and/or ReFormulate any Important Key-point..., (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coebioethicplandebatebutoutcomelater.html). Moreover, that comprehensive "Strategic Plan" is due to Extend for a Long Period going from 2020 up to 2025, i.e. Bypassing even the New CoE's Secretary General's Mandate !

The Problem is that, Exceptionally, for the 1st Time in CoE's over 70 Years History, during the Latest ...Fifteen (15) Years now, Strasbourg's Organisation has been living under Only "Socialist" former Secretary Generals and their Teams, (the Brittish Terry Davis and the Norwegian Thornbjorn Jagland : 2004 - 2019), while the Latest Christian Democrat (Austria's Walter Schwimer) or Liberal (Sweden's Daniel Tarschys), etc., Date from a Remote Past of 1994-2004 only...

BioEthical Issues are a notoriously "Hot" Issue, Sharply Debated and Disputed between Socialists and ChristianDemocrats, both in Europe and in the USA, as well as Elsewhere in the World, so that any Fair and Healthy Democratic treatment of what is really at Stake there, obviously canNot Exclude so long one of those Mainstream Political Families, Neither Ignore European People and its Elected Representatives' Majority wishes.

Currently, one of the most Crucial Matters, in that Area, is that of the Heritable Human Genome Editing, transmissible to Future Generations, as well as the various Artificial methods of Births, Submitted to Technological Interferences already on the Human Embryons, which, in real Practice, make Technically Possible such Interferences overriding the Natural process.

The 1st known such controversial Heritable Human Genome Editing, secretly Tested on 3 Babies (by a Chinese Dr. linked to US Technocratic Lobbies of the Obama era), triggered a World-wide Scandal on Autumn 2018, (See : ...). Almost at the Same Time, in Parallel, important Countries, such as, f.ex., France, have been notoriously considering to eventually Open, for the 1st Time in History, the Door for Massive Technological Interferences in Artificial Births, inter alia under Pretext to Fabricate Children for Homosexual, particularly Lesbian Couples, also Since 2017-2018, with an Initially Scheduled Date in 2019 or 2020, (Nowadays Postponed for the Forthcoming Summer 2020)... I.e. they are Now Imminent.

But the Risks provoked by such controversial developments are of an UnPrecedented Dangerosity in Human History : Indeed, this Issue is of Extreme and Urgent Importance, because here it's all Humanity which is obviously at Stake, since  Heritable Genetic Manipulations may also fabricate "Chimeras" (between Animals and Humans), and Various Other kinds of "Dr. Frankenstein" Monsters, real "New Races" of Beings, an aggravated and permanent "Appart-Heid" definitively Separating Humans between them, Set up various "Alien" Species, (etc), if they Fall into the Wrong Hands of some Maverick/Selfish Technocrats.

In Addition, Recently, various Health Problems were found in Heritable Gene Editing, (as in the Clonning, previously). In this regard, inter alia, Today's Wider Report of the World Health Organisation, Warning about Parallel and Synchronous Risks for Cancer ilnesses to Multiply in the foreseable Future, from 29 to 37 Millions of cases until 2040, i.e. + 60 % in the Next 20 Years, (and even Worse : +80% in Poor Countries), raises Worrying Questions. There are some Speculations about eventual Technical Solutions in the Future, but, at any case, this is Not the Main Concern here.

Indeed, as COE's BioEthics Committee stressed at an exceptional Statement of 2015, on the occasion of such CRISPR-Cas9 Heritable Gene Editing Technologies, the Main "Concern" focuses "in particular (on) the intentional Modification of Human Genome, so as to Produce Individuals or Groups endowed with Particular Characteristics". (Comp. Supra). In fact, "deliberate Germ-Line Editing in Human beings crosses a Line viewed as Ethically Inviolable", Denounced also COE Assembly's Social and Health Affairs Committee, in a Declaration issued (after the October 2018 Incident) on December 2018.

Such Risks seem to have become Now (i.e. After that October 2018 Incident : Comp. Supra) inevitable, particularly in the Absence of any Known Technology able to Prevent, Spot, and/or Reverse a possible Heritable Manipulation, whenever a Human Embryo is exposed to any eventual Genetic Intervention, (f.ex. during Artificial Procreation Methods, IVF, etc).

But, even if, according to Other CoE's sources, it seems to be "currently a Prohibition on interventions aimed at Modifying the Germ-Line in Human beings in all EU, and many CoE, member States", (as a 2017 CoE Assembly Resolution says), nevertheless, there are also Many important Non-European Actors throughout the World in this domain, and, therefore, CoE's Committee on BioEthics has "launched, since 2015, a Call to use CoE's Oviedo Convention's Principles (See Infra) also for a Debate at International level", while, in Addition, more Recently, MEPs have spoken to "Eurofora" about Fresh Efforts to adopt a Resolution in EU Parliament calling for a "Global Ban", both before and after the latest, May 2019 EU Elections, (See, f.ex.: ... + ..., etc).

Indeed, as former CoE's SG Thornbjorn Jagland's latest Report  ("Ready for Future Challenges") reminded at Helsinki on May 2019, CoE has Already "Banned Human Cloning", as Early as Since 1997-1998, with an Additional Protocol, open to signature from Any Country in the World, to its landmark "Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medecine (Oviedo Convention)". Something similar, mutatis-mutandis, could be made also Now, concerning the Heritable Gene Editing of Humans Worldwide, (which, at any case, is already Prohibited under that PanEuropean Convention).

The New CoE's Secretary General, Marija Buric, has Just pointed, Also, (in her Speech to CoE Parliamentary Assembly's plenary of January 2020 in Strasbourg), about such "New Challenges" for Human Rights and Democracy, emerging as "our Societies Change" : "We Must be there to Defend the Rules to which we Believe, and which are inscribed in Law", she firmly stressed.  

As that 1997-1998 Era of CoE's rotating Presidencies by Helmut Kohl, of Germany, ("Father" of the European ReUnification), and Jacques Chirac of France, followed by Greece's Constantin Stefanopoulos, (like nowadays on 2019-2020), was really Historic on BioEthics too, with that "Oviedo" Convention coinciding, almost at the same time, with Russia's and other Central-Eastern Countries' Accession to the CoE, while USA, Canada, Japan and Mexico became "Permanent Observers" in Strasbourg (1996), similarly, the 1st Election of a Central-Eastern Country as Croatia's Top Politician as CoE's New Secretary General, Nowadays, with Marija Buric (2019-2024), while Europe's relations with China and other non-European Countries comes at the forefront (See Infra), almost at the Same Moment that the EU reportedly aims to use the CoE as a stepping stone towards "Global" Policies in a Wider Spectrum of Topical Issues, might, eventually, Help Now, if there is a sufficient Political Will among European Heads of State/Government, in Addition with the USA, etc., to Deal adequately also with the Heritable Editing of Human Genome issue Worldwide.

At any case, China Already made an important Step in this Direction, inter alia, also by Recently Imposing Criminal Sanctions, on 30 December 2019, against that Maveric Dr. (with US Technocratic Lobby links since Obama), who suddenly operated Prohibited Heritable Genetic Editing on 3 Babies in Atumn 2018 (Comp. Supra and : ..., etc), and Strongly Denoucing such immoral and Dangerous acts against Humanity, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/chinacondemnsheritablegeneediting.html, etc). In Addition, Europe would Obviously benefit from an eventual "Permanent Observer Status" to Beijing, in the foreseable Future, (as it has done Already vis a vis USA, Canada, Mexico and Japan, etc), Also Because China, currently is the Only UN Security Council's "Permanent Member" withOut any Diplomatic Representation yet to Strasbourg... So that, the possible Addition, f.ex., of a CoE-China cooperation against "Cyber-Crime", and/or in the Protection of "Personal Data", etc., (of great Interest Nowadays also for Topical Global Issues interesting Europe, related to Smart-Phones, "5G" Networks, etc), Together with the reportedly Good Relations of Beijing with the New President of CoE's Assembly, Belgian Liberal MEP Rik Daems (2020-2022), might, perhaps, Help soon Fil this Gap, by finding an appropriate Status for Future Cooperationb with China on some Basic CoE's Values.

+ Meanwhile, Awareness and Opposition to such Dangerous Technocratic Interferences in Human Births seems to Grow Recently also in the West, (even if the Establishment's Medias persist to Hide what is really at Stake) :

F.ex., in France, already more than 2 Giant Popular Demonstrations, on 2019 and 2020, added recently more signs of People's Opposition to Controversial, Out-Dated, and Unpopular plans to Impose, for the 1st Time in History, financially reimbursable Artificial Births for Children to Fabricate after command for Lesbian Couples. On the Contrary, Public Demonstrations by Lobbies pushing for ARTIFICIAL Births have been Rare and Minor, Marginal. Instead of that, European People have Recently boosted manifold and Large, Impressive Public popular Demonstrations in Defense of NATURAL Births, as, f.ex., Nowadays in France, several former Central-Eastern Countries, added even to USA, etc, as never seen before in History. Even in China, mainstream Medias have recently (2016-2019) noted the Fact that the Majority of People were Against such Artificial interferences on Human Births.

+ In Addition, the Public Consultation launched by the French Government on 2018 in an Official Web Forum on a Review of BioEthics Law, was clearly Marked by a strong Majority of Popular Opposal to such controversial and dangerous attempts, (Despite the Personal Attacks by a Threatening Minority vainly attempting to Muzzle Critics, instead of Debating with Logical Arguments). Such Facts were, moreover, Highlighted even by the President of the Committee on BioEthics in France (endorsed by the Government), Professor Jean-Francois Delfraissy, who Denounced, at a CoE's International Conference in Strasbourg on 2019, the existence of serious "GAPS" (as he stressed) between the Majority of the People and some controversial Draft Plans pushed by Lobbies which had Influenced the Government on 2017 to prepare so Dangerous Bills as for Artificial Births of Children fabricated by order for Lesbian couples, (as he clearly Confirmed later to "Eurofora" : See ..., etc).

++ Meanwhile, since the Autumn of 2018, (i.e. After that Public Consultation, which had Concluded on April 2018), even the World-wide Scandal of the Heritable Genome Editing of 3 Babies (Comp. Supra), which led to the Criminal Sanctions pronounced by Judges, and a net Criticism of such Dangers against Humankind, Denounced by representatives of the Academy of Sciences, in China on December 2019, (See: ...).

=> So that it Becomes even More Obvious that Big Risks are Looming Nowadays over such Controversial Plans as those which irresponsibly Push (under Various Pretexts) towards Massie Technocratic Interferences on Human Births, (Comp. Supra)... Who -and How- could Guarantee, in advance, that Not Any Technocrat will ever Attempt to Exploit such Interferences in order to grossly and negatively Manipulate the Human Genome for Dark Interests, Against Humanity, Democracy and Human Rights/Dignity ?  Nowadays, Ignore such Obvious Dangers, is even Worse and Irresposible than behaving as ...SleepWalkers in broad DayLight !

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=> In this Context, it's understandable that such Controversial and UnPopular Draft Bills, as that of Artificial Births for Lesbians in France, etc (Comp. Supra), proved, Today (4/2/2020) Unable to pass the check of the Senate but Only with a Tiny, Narrow margin of just ...Five (5) Votes' Displacement, out of a Total of about 350 Senators... And this was obtained Only by a counter-Nature Betrayal of the Traditional Positiions of the Mainstream Opposition Party of the "Republicans" by a Tiny Minority of last-minute Turn-Coats, (who are due, probably, to sooner or later Disappear from the Political Life, since the People now Knows their Names and can exert its Democratic Right to Vote Against them, at the first opportunity). As for the so-called "Left", (or what remains from them), it has realy become a Tragi-Comic Paradox to see their Representatives Vote for something which Risks to Fabricate Real Separate Races' "Appart-heid" in the foreseable Future, as if they were Blind and Deaf ...SleepWalkers (Comp. Supra)... On the Contrary, it was a Positive Surprise to see that Even several Senators from President Emmanuel Macron's PoliticaL Party (which had initialy Tabled that Controversial Draft Bill on an Old, OutDated Pre-Electoral Promise of 2017, reportedly conceded to a Lobby Long Before the Autumn 2018 Scandal on the Heritable Gene Editing, and Before it was found that it can Provoke Serious Health Problems : Comp. Supra), Now, on February 2020, Felt Right and Dared to either Abstain, or Vote "No" !     

So that the French Government reportedly prefered Now to Postpone that Controversial and UnPopular Draft Bill on Artificial Births of Children for Lesbians, towards a Later Period, After the forthcoming Local Elections at all Municipalities accross the Country, (including Strasbourg City), in order to Avoid a Risk to Negatively Influence them by such Dangerous Measures against which too Many People have already Started to be clearly Opposed...     

=> Will a Similar Move, mutatis-mutandis, perhaps Postpone the CoE's Committee of Ministers' previously Scheduled Examination, for Tomorrow, on 5 February 2020, of the PanEuropean Organisation's "Strategic Action Plan" on BioEthics for the Period of 2020-2025 (Comp. Supra) ?

At any case, the Next CoE's Committee of Ministers' meeting is scheduled for February 12.

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But, in the MeanTime, curiously, that CoE's Draft "Strategic Action Plan" on BioEthics, Prepared since 2017 and Endorsed by the competent Committee on 2019, (Comp. Supra), still Remains totaly UnKnown to the Public !

>>>From the few available factual Indications, it seems that, Currently, there might be a hidden infight between mainly 2 trends :

- One, (apparently pushed by a Socialist Lobby, as that of Former US Envoy to the "Human Genome" project, and afterwards Former US President Barack Hussein Obama's appointed Head of National Health Institutes, who wants Only to Postpone the Heritable Genome Editing, just for a Few Years, until it's found how to use (inevitably including even: "abuse") that UnPopular and Dangerous Tool withOut provoking, at least, Serious Health Problems, Cancers, etc., (Comp. Supra).

- While anOther Side, (supported mainly by ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEPs, as those who earlier spoke to "Eurofora" in EU Parliament, etc., See f.ex. : ..., etc), aim to boost a Permanent "Global Ban" against Heritable Genome Editing since 2019-2020, (at least Equivalent to the Interdiction already contained at the "Oviedo" Convention in Europe), as, in the Past, CoE had also Banned, since 1997-1998, the Cloning of Human Persons, with a Protocol Open to Signature by any Country in the World, (Comp. Supra). This should Start from the Research, (to Prevent Hidden "Surprizes", as that of a Maverick "Dr" who Edited the Genome of 3 Babies in a Heritable way, working closely together with a Technocratic USA Lobby of Obama's era : Comp. Supra), while the WHO has just Called to officially Register Any such Research in the World, right from the Start.

=> In this regard too, "the Medias have a unique role to play as Watchdogs", stressed the New CoE's Secretary General, Marija Buric, in her Latest Speech to CoE Assembly, on January 2020.

- "This right is a cornerstone of a Democratic and pluralistic society and ... the Strasbourg Court has confirmed" it, she added.

- Therefore, "I Deplore what concurring reports confirm – and what the Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists has also found:" Recently, various "Attacks on Journalists and Media Actors continue to Rise in number, often with Impunity, and spreading a Chilling effect", she Denounced.

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