Birth control money frozen

Press, 8 February 1985, Page 6

Birth control money frozen

NZPA-AFP Washington The United States Government froze a SUS 23 million ($48.9 million) contribution to the United Nations fund for population control because it believed that China might use part of the money for abortions. United States Agency for International Development officials were making a “careful study,” likely to hold up the money for several months, in response to concern by American antiabortion organisations over recent accounts of birth control practices in China, a U.S.A.I.D. spokeswoman said. The sum is half of Washington’s annual contribution to United Nations population control efforts. In the second half of last year the United States took similar action and said that it would stop financing all birth control conducted through international organisations that entailed abortion. United Nations officials have denied that United Nations funds are used for coercive birth control practices.