16.3.04

Gay Wired

By Doug Windsor

(New York City) The Vatican and the 56 member nations of the Islamic Conference told a United Nations committee Monday that Secretary General Kofi Annan acted illegally when he announced the partners of some gay and lesbian UN workers would receive the same benefits as the spouses of heterosexual employees.

Annan issued an administrative order in January to order the benefits. The health and other benefits will be provided only to the partners of gay and lesbian employees if their home countries allow it.

Speaking for the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Iran told the General Assembly finance committee that Annan lacked the power to make such a decision without the approval of the 191-member assembly.

"Whereas no decision has been taken by the General Assembly to change the long-established scope of the family definition for the purposes of entitlements, therefore there is no justifiable basis for the approval of expenses," Iranian envoy Alireza Tootoonchian told the committee.

The Conference wants Annan to submit "in writing a clarification and explanation." Any vote in the General Assembly would likely go down to defeat.

The envoy from the Vatican echoed the view of the Islamic Conference.

Margaret Stanley, the Irish representative, speaking on behalf of 25 European Union and associate members, called Annan's decision a "welcome step" that reflected his determination to modernize human resource management. She said she saw no reason to challenge Annan's prerogative as chief administrative officer.

Canada's envoy, Jerry Kramer, called Annan's action "principled" in defining family status.

The Bush administration, which is pushing for an Amendment to the US Constitution barring gay marriages, did not speak in Monday's debate. A spokesperson for the U.S. delegation to the world body said Washington has not yet decided whether to oppose the new U.N. measure for American staff.