Muslim States, the Vatican and U.S. Uphold Family Values at UN Summit

A contingent of delegates from the United States, Muslim countries,
and the Vatican this week opposed attempts to craft a conference
document in favor of abortion practices and other anti-family
positions at a UN summit on children.

The delegations opposed the mention of family planning services in
the document, meant to imply abortion. They also favored the
addition of language encouraging sexual abstinence. U.S. Health
Secretary Tommy Thompson addressed the summit, stating that
abstinence is the only sure way of avoiding sexually transmitted
disease, premature pregnancy and the social and personal difficulties
attendant to non-marital sexual activity.

The conference, sponsored by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), is a
follow-up to a 1990 summit that aimed at setting guidelines in the
areas of education and health services for children for governments,
advocacy groups, and UN agencies.

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Deal Struck on Fast Track Trade Authority

A deal has been struck by the White House and the Senate regarding
Trade Promotion Authority, or Fast Track authority, to allow the
President more leeway in negotiating international trade agreements.

If the deal holds up, the measure will go to the Senate floor for
likely passage. However, Republicans conceded a key demand to the
Democrats: provisions for a major expansion in benefits for workers
displaced by foreign competition. Under the agreement, worker
assistance will be tripled to $1.2 billion per year.

Implementation of fast track authority would be highly beneficial for
the United States in the near future. The next round of trade talks
at the World Trade Organization is coming up, and the Bush
administration also has plans to negotiate a free-trade area for
North and South America.