Thursday March 18, 2004

Council of Europe Calls Member Countries to Back UN Resolution on 'Sexual Orientation'

Ministers of Germany and Brazil Express Support

GENEVA, March 18, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission (HRC) opened Monday with pro-family groups around the world gravely concerned about an upcoming resolution to bar discrimination based on 'sexual orientation'. The measure, which has been described by international law experts as a major threat to religious freedom and freedom of speech, was promoted last week by the President of the Council of Europe.

Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Peter Schieder has issued an open letter on the website of the Council of Europe calling all European countries to back the homosexual activist resolution at the United Nations. Schieder boasts in his letter that, "At a time when many European countries still had, within their legal systems, penal provisions criminalising homosexuality, the Assembly was the first international institutional body to strongly support the respect of fundamental rights of homosexuals."

At least one European country did not waste any time in voicing support for the proposal. In the high-level HRC meetings begun Monday, German Foreign Affairs Minister Joschka Fischer said, "when relating his country's human rights priorities stated, "discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a cause for concern." He called on the Commission to "condemn discrimination against homosexuals, bisexuals and transsexuals."

Argentina has also expressed support for such a measure. In his opening remarks to the HRC, Gustavo Beliz, Minister of Justice, Security and Human Rights of Argentina, said his country was concerned about the rights of "those who are discriminated against due to sexual orientation."

LifeSiteNews.com has learned that the sexual orientation issue could come up next week (week of March 22), or the week of March 29. Votes on the measure are likely to occur between April 13-15.

See the Council of Europe President's letter
http://assembly.coe.int/Communication/PresidentSpeeches/2004/OpenLetterUNResolution_E.htm

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/mar/04031802.html

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