US draws jeers for abortion comments at UN

Jeers and catcalls greeted the top US delegate to a global women's conference as she stressed Washington's opposition to abortion and support for sexual abstinence and fidelity.

After withdrawing an unpopular anti-abortion amendment from a key UN document, the United States joined in approving the declaration that reaffirmed a 150-page platform agreed 10 years ago at a landmark UN women's conference in Beijing.

However, top US delegate Ellen Sauerbrey drew boos from the audience, which included some of the 6,000 activists who came from around the world, when she commented on Washington's interpretation of the document.

"We have stated clearly and on many occasions ... that we do not recognise abortion as a method of family planning, nor do we support abortion in our reproductive health assistance, " Sauerbrey said.

The loudest catcalls, unusual at the world body, came when she articulated US policy on Aids prevention for adolescents: "We emphasise the value of the ABC - abstinence, be faithful, and correct and consistent condom use where appropriate - approach in comprehensive strategies to combat the spread of HIV/Aids and the promotion of abstinence as the healthiest and most responsible choice for adolescents. "

Earlier Friday, Sauerbrey said the United States was dropping its demand that the document be amended to say that abortion is a matter of national sovereignty and not a human right delineated by the 1995 conference in Beijing.

After a week of closed-door negotiations at the United Nations during a two-week conference on women's equality, Sauerbrey said the US point had been made and therefore Washington's amendment was no longer needed.

The first version of the abandoned amendment said the Beijing meeting's final document did not recognise abortion as a fundamental right; a later version said the document did not create any new international human rights, code for abortion.

"We think we have really accomplished what we set out to do," Sauerbrey said. "We have heard from countries ... that our interpretation is their interpretation. So the amendment we recognise is really redundant, but it has accomplished its goals. We will be withdrawing the amendment. "

Despite US lobbying, public support for Washington's abortion stance was initially limited to the Vatican delegate; delegates from the European Union, Asia and elsewhere forcefully opposed it.

"The text of Beijing is unequivocally clear. We should not spend hours splitting hairs over phrases that mean the same thing," said New Zealand's UN Ambassador Don Mackay, speaking for his country, Canada and Australia. He emphasised that the Beijing document included a woman's right to control her own sexuality.

The current UN session is meant to assess how far women have come toward equality since the 1995 Beijing conference and a follow-up meeting five years ago. Organisers seeking consensus drafted a streamlined document they hoped would be easily approved without controversy.

The US amendment was seen by some as a distraction from the main goals of the conference - economic development and women's equality - but Sauerbrey said, "I don't think in any way we have interfered with the flow of work. "

Amnesty International spokesman Alexandra Arriaga praised the US move.

"We welcome the US decision to join the international consensus and affirm that women's rights are human rights, " Arriaga said. "What was clear was that the United States had a very specific agenda it brought to the UN and that the world unanimously rejected an effort to hijack the commission. "

- REUTERS