THE UNITED Nations General Assembly voted unanimously to affirm and even expand the Vatican’s role at the United Nations last July 1 at its headquarters in New York. Resolution Agenda no. 59, titled “Strengthening of the United Nations System,” finally resolved the battle between the Vatican and pro-abortion groups seeking its ouster from the UN as a non-member “permanent observer” State.
The General Assembly reaffirmed the Vatican’s 1964 permanent observer status and granted it new privileges, “to enable the Holy See to participate in a more constructive way in the Assembly’s activities,” the UN press release said. The Holy See no longer has to ask permission to participate in UN debates; and has acquired the right to reply, circulate documents, and raise points of order.
For years, pro-abortion groups like Catholics for a Free Choice, International Planned Parenthood Federation, and Marie Stopes International had been campaigning against the Vatican’s influence in the UN that blocked so-called measures recognizing “reproductive rights.” All countries in the General Assembly however agreed to maintain the Vatican’s UN standing.
“The Holy See has the requirements defined by the UN statute to be a member state and, if in the future it wished to be so, the resolution does not impede it from requesting that status,” Vatican Archbishop Celestino Migliore said.
The Holy See at present prefers the non-member permanent observer status to enable it to participate in UN sessions without the pressure to cast votes on issues.
“The adoption of the Resolution reflects the collective interests shared by the Holy See and the United Nations. We are committed to the same objectives that necessitate the protection of fundamental human rights, the preservation of the dignity and worth of the human person, and the promotion of the common good,” Migliore said. With reports from www.c-fam.org
