EU CONFERENCE GIVES ROUSING APPLAUSE TO NEW U.S.

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 001397 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA WLUCAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PHUM PREL SCUL SOCI EU SUBJECT: EU CONFERENCE GIVES ROUSING APPLAUSE TO NEW U.S. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS POLICY ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: U.S. Mission to the European Union (USEU) officials were gratified by the enthusiastic and spontaneous reception given at the International Workshop on Poverty Eradication and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights to the presentation of new U.S. policy changes on reproductive rights. After noting the Administration's strong support for reproductive rights and universal access to reproductive health and family planning, USEU Charge d'Affaires highlighted the Administration's decisions to rescind the Mexico City Policy and to allocate more than $500 million for USAID family planning and reproductive health budgets. END SUMMARY ¶2. (SBU) The conference, which was held on October 14-15, was sponsored by the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP),with participation by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA),the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF),EU member states EU Commission representatives, and members of the media. Joining the USEU Charge d'Affaires on a panel discussing "challenges and opportunities for the future" was Jean-Claude Boidin, the Head of Unit on Social and Human Development at the European Commission's Directorate General for Development; Mabingue Ngom, the Program Division Director for UNFPA; Dr. Gill Greer, the Director General for IPPF, and a representative of the ACP. The conference, which included representatives from all 22 ACP countries, was an opportunity for ACP nations to discuss their progress toward attaining Millennium Development Goal Five concerning sexual and reproductive health and rights. Conference organizers published a list of conclusions and recommendations for moving forward, and encouraging further cooperation between the EU and the nations of the ACP. The Charge was the sole government spokesperson from a non-EU or ACP member state to speak at the two-day event. ¶3. (SBU) The Charge highlighted the commitment of the Administration to reproductive rights and family planning, citing previous statements by President Obama, Secretary Clinton and UN Ambassador Rice on the importance of these issues, as well as the recent appropriation of $513 million by Congress for USAID's family planning and reproductive health budgets. The Charge also identified the Bush Administration's funding programs to provide contraceptives and medical training in an effort to encourage better reproductive health. At the conclusion of the remarks, the audience showed their approval of the significant changes in the U.S. approach with a rousing round of applause, which had not been accorded to previous speakers. The Conference organizers also requested from the Charge the text of his speech (drafted by the Department) for publication in the Conference's proceedings. The Mission would like to thank the Department for its timely support for this well-received public outreach event. MURRAY .