The fruits of presidential “common ground” and “dialogue”

So now we begin to see the fruits of "common ground" and "dialogue" between the Obama Administration and the Catholic Church on the abortion issue.

From the indispensable C-Fam:

Obama Administration Calls for Universal Access to Abortion at UN Meeting

By Samantha Singson

Obama Clinton

     (NEW YORK – C-FAM)  At United Nations (UN) headquarters this week, the Obama administration continued its push for ever increasing access to legal abortion around the world. The Obama team has introduced language that has thrown a high level negotiation into a roil. The US proposal calls for “universal access” to “sexual and reproductive health services including universal access to family planning.” The document under consideration will culminate in the 2009 Annual Ministerial Review, which convenes next week in Geneva.

     The sticking point for many delegations and what has driven apart the usual solid European bloc is the use of the word “services” in the context of “reproductive health.” Way back in 2001 during negotiations related to the ten year review of the Child Convention, a Canadian delegate blurted out “of course everyone knows ‘services’ means abortion.” Ever since, the word “services” has been a topic of hot debate.

     So controversial is the topic of “services” in the context of “reproductive health” that the usually impenetrable negotiating bloc of the 27 member European Union has imploded with Malta, Poland and Ireland splitting from their allies and joining the Holy See in opposing the measure[And who will be the new US Ambassador to Malta?]

     In addition to the word "services," delegates are also concerned with attempts to link “sexual and reproductive health” to “universal access,” something the UN has never agreed to and what would amount to a major gain for pro-abortion forces. There have been numerous attempts at the UN to insert language on "universal access to sexual and reproductive health services."  In 2005 at the Commission on Population and Development, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) joined with pro-abortion lobby groups to call for "universal access to sexual and reproductive health services and programmes." They were defeated in large part by the Bush-appointed US delegates who insisted that none of the terms related to reproductive health be interpreted to include abortion.

     In recent weeks the new US administration has interpreted "reproductive health" to include abortion. In April, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a US House subcommittee, “We [the Obama administration] happen to think that family planning is an important part of women’s health and reproductive health includes access to abortion that I believe should be safe, legal and rare.” In this statement, Clinton also contradicted the agreement reached at the Cairo Conference which said that abortion can never be used as a part of family planning. This was a document that Clinton helped to negotiate.

     Apart from the US, other delegations including Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, France, Estonia and the United Kingdom are pushing for the language.
 
     The G-77 developing nations’ bloc is still holding its own negotiations to determine whether or not they will have a common position on the paragraph.

     Negotiations are scheduled to continue this week and the draft declaration will be adopted by high level government ministers at the end of next week’s meeting in Geneva.

 

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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17 Comments

  1. Thomas says:

    The Irish really are unique. We constantly hear that they are abandoning the practice of the Faith because of recent scandal, vocations on the island have plummetted, and yet they stand alone with Malta, Poland and the Holy See to oppose this wickedness.

    A real push for re-evangelization in Ireland would be a good starting point in Europe. Strengthen the base (in political terms).

  2. james says:

    Perhaps those of Irish descent (like myself) should
    consider moving “home”? We could re-populate Eire
    with solid Traditional communities…

  3. Jack says:

    following on from what Thomas and James said you could also re-evangelize Scotland and England.

  4. Robin says:

    *smacks head*

    Now I get it. The O is sending Kmiec to try his mojo on the Maltans.

    Or is that the Maltese?

  5. Thomas says:

    The whole continent needs it. I’m just commenting on the unique situation in Ireland.

  6. ED2 says:

    Wow, move home to Ireland? That was something I’ve been thinking about too.

  7. tertullian says:

    Malta is THE most Catholic country on the planet. Big claim, I know. Kmiec will spend his days chasing rabbits on Gozo.

  8. Rancher says:

    The tie between this position and Kmiec headed for Malta is just another example of Obama’s arrogance and his efforts to fragment the Church to his advantage. A truely evil man.

  9. Mr. H. says:

    When I saw that Friday Fax I chuckled. The President keeps talking about common grounds, yet continues to move away from those he wants common ground with. Is he really fooling anyone with this charade?

    Mr. H
    http://www.allhands-ondeck.blogspot.com/

  10. Rancher says:

    Obama’s definition of dialogue is that he talks and everyone does what he wants.

  11. Mark VA says:

    I find it sad that out of the 27 European Union nations only the leaderships of Ireland, Malta, and of course Poland, found the courage to oppose the globalization of abortion on demand.

    Perhaps Austria, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia, where one expects more political and ecclesiastical will to combine forces in opposition to this language, will be inspired to come out on the field and join the other three.

    On another angle to this development – can the Catholic progressives, who lectured the rest of us on the soundness of their “common ground” approach with the pro-choice side, explain now where this mythical “common ground” can be found?

  12. Martin T. says:

    In POB’s mind this is a good thing as everything has a middle road. Catlik’s get their exception to abortion and the rest of the world gets abortion. Of course when that happens the middle shifts ever more downwards.

  13. Rancher says:

    Martin
    I’m not sure he intends to give Catholics an exception to abortion. His track record is one of thinking he is always right and there is no room for opposition. We”ll see

  14. Martin says:

    The All-Ireland Rally for Life took place in Dublin yesterday, with several thousand on the march. But we need to work hard with God to ensure that Ireland does not succumb to the massive pressure being exerted by the EU and UN amongst others. Lots of prayers and action needed!

    Link to official site for the rally: http://www.rallyforlife.net

  15. Joe from Pittsburgh says:

    I don’t see Poland ever caving in to that garbage. Poland has its issues in that the birthrate has been declining, among other things, but abortion is still illegal there.

    Obama will never back down from exporting abortion. Ever.

  16. jaykay says:

    My friend, a father of 4, was on the Rally for Life in Dublin. We spoke about it over a quiet pint (or 3) last night. He said they were being heckled by the usual rent-a-mob of “pro-choicers”. He quietly commented that, while these people were very vociferous in their chanting – and often outright abusive – he never once saw them being remonstrated with or asked to tone down by the police. He contrasted that with a march the previous weekend, for “Gay Pride”, and wondered how anyone offering the same level of opposition would have been treated?

    I’m really glad to see that our Government managed to summon up the courage to oppose this evil measure but I wouldn’t trust them not to cave in if/when the going gets really rough i.e. when the media, of which they live in craven fear, turns on them for being unenlightened.

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