EGYPT: THE ISSUE OF ABORTION CONTINUES TO BE RAISED AT THE UNITED NATIONS POPULATION CONFERENCE.

Record ID: 337874

  • Title: EGYPT: THE ISSUE OF ABORTION CONTINUES TO BE RAISED AT THE UNITED NATIONS POPULATION CONFERENCE.
  • Date: 7th September 1994
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (SEPTEMBER 7, 1994) (REUTERS TELEVISION - AVAILABLE ALL) 1. GV EXTERIOR CONFERENCE CENTRE 0.07 2. GV DELEGATES GET OFF BUS, INTO CONFERENCE CENTRE/ SECURITY GUARDS CHECK (3 SHOTS) 0.24 3. GV DELEGATES APPLAUD IN CONFERENCE HALL 0.28 4. GV VATICAN OBSERVER ARCHBISHOP RENATO RAFFAELE MARTINO SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 0.56 5. GV INTERIOR U.S. DELEGATION PRESS CONFERENCE 1.13 6. SCU U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE TIMOTHY WORTH SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 1.27 7. GV EXTERIOR RELIGIOUS FORUM VENUE 1.33 8. GV INTERIOR WITH PEOPLE LOOKING AT STALLS (6 SHOTS) 1.55 9. GV INTERIOR CONFERENCE HALL 1.58 10. SCU PROFESSOR CHRISTINE GUDOF FROM THE UNITED STATES, A CATHOLIC THEOLOGIAN SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 2.23 11. GV AFRICAN WOMAN SPEAKING ABOUT ABORTION AND HOW SHE RESPECTS THE RIGHT TO LIFE FROM CONCEPTION (ENGLISH) 2.33 12. SCU BUDDHIST PHRA MEDHIDHAMMAPORN SPEAKING ABOUT CHURCH AND TEMPLE (ENGLISH) 2.50 13. GV ISLAMIC SCHOLAR RIFAAT HASSAN SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 3.08 14. GV DELEGATES LISTENING 3.12 15. GV DELEGATES IN LOBBY (2 SHOTS) 3.21 16. GV INTERIOR PRESS CONFERENCE 3.24 17. SCU ACTRESS JANE FONDA SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 3.56 SEQUENCE 4 TRANSCRIPT: ARCHBISHOP MARTINO :"INTERNATIONAL CONSENSUS LANGUAGE URGES GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO HELP WOMEN TO AVOID ABORTION WHICH IN NO CASE SHOULD BE PROMOTED AS A METHOD OF FAMILY PLANNING AND WHENEVER POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE FOR THE HUMAN TREATMENT AND COUNSELLING FOR THE WOMEN WHO HAVE HAD RECOURSE TO AN ABORTION" SEQUENCE 6 TRANSCRIPT: WORTH :"TRYING TO REACH AGREEMENT ON THE COUNTRIES WHO BEFOREHAND APPEARED TO BE IN DISAGREEMENT AND SAID THIS CONSENSUS SEEKED TO MAKE SENSE TO THEM AND THEY WOULD NOT BLOCK THE FURTHER ACTIVITIES" SEQUENCE 10 TRANSCRIPTION: GUDOF :"THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AFFIRMS THE EXISTENCE OF BOTH OVERPOPULATION AND ECOLOGICAL CRISIS IN MANY AREAS OF THE WORLD AND THEIR FREQUENT LINK. A.) THE CHURCH AFFIRMS BOTH THE RIGHT AND THE OBLIGATION OF COUPLES TO LIMIT THE SIZE OF THEIR FAMILY DEPENDING UPON A VARIETY OF CIRCUMSTANCES SO LONG AS THEY USE LICIT MEANS" SEQUENCE 13 TRANSCRIPTION: HASSAN :"WHAT THE KORAN IS DOING IS CONSTRUCTIONG A FRAMEWORK OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND IF ONE BEGINS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES ARE, ONE CAN THEN APPLY THESE PRINCIPLES TO ANY PROBLEM INCLUDING THE PROBLEM OF FAMILY PLANNING AND ABORTION" SEQUENCE 17 TRANSCRIPTION: FONDA :"(ABORTION) SHOULD BE SAFE, IT SHOULD BE LEGAL AND IT SHOULD BE RARE. IF THIS CONFERENCE IS CARRIED INTO ACTION. IF WE CAN EDUCATE OUR YOUNG GIRLS, EMPOWER OUR WOMEN. IF WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH A WHEREWITHAL AND KNOWLEDGE TO AVOID UNWANTED PREGNANCIES ABORTION IS NO LONGER NECESSARY, THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD WORK FOR" Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 1994 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
  • City:
  • Country: Egypt
  • Reuters ID: LVAEUDUVPKNAW8XWCVE4IUD4RN2Q
  • Story Text: The Vatican, sharply at odds with liberals at the United Nations (U.N.) Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, issued a hard-line reaffirmation on Wednesday (September 7) of its teaching on sex and abortion.

    Archbishop Renato Martino, the Holy See's envoy to the U.N., pulled no punches in his speech to the conference, which is searching for agreement on a U.N. programme of action to control population growth.

    Martino indicated that the Vatican, which is a U.N. member, would not accept compromise language unless it specifically stated that abortion should never be considered a means of family planning or an international right.

    Martino said such unrestricted access to abortion would be contrary to the institutional and legislative ways of many states and alien to the vast number of persons, believers and unbelievers alike.

    The United States (U.S.) delegation gave a news briefing on Wednesday and said the conference's draft document on population and family planning was near completion.

    U.S. Under-Secretary of State Timothy Worth said there had been several meetings held between the group to try to achieve consensus among the delegations. He said he was confident agreement would be reached.

    The subject of abortion was raised continually among many of the 10,000 delegates, representatives of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and reporters attending the conference.

    The NGO'S on Wednesday took part in a religious forum as a sideline to the United Nations conference.

    One African delegate from the audience said she vehemently opposed abortion, saying that developed countries sold the developing countries arms so that they could kill one and another.

    Professor Christine Gudof from U.S., a Catholic theologian, said the Catholic church affirmed the cries of overpopulation and resources and admitted the right of people to control the size of their families as long as they use licit means.

    Actress and long-time human rights campaigner Jane Fonda also added her voice to the hundreds taking part in the conference.

    Fonda said abortion should be safe, it should be legal, and it should be rare.

    She said that if young girls were educated and women empowered and provided wtih the knowledge to avoid unwanted pregnancies, abortion would not longer be necessary. That was what we should work for, she said.


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