Publication Date: 07/15/2002

Description: The United States is poised to announce that it will withdraw millions of dollars in funding for the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) over charges it is promoting abortion and forced sterilization of women in China, US officials said Sunday. The announcement, which could come as early as this week, will accompany the release of a report critical of UNFPA's activities in China that have drawn fire from conservative US lawmakers and anti-abortion activists, the officials said. The State Department had been expected to make the announcement -- which will cancel 34 million dollars in UNFPA funding -- on July 15, but a senior department official said the timing had been slightly delayed. "We're not ready to go on this for Monday," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "The language is still being prepared and the lawyers are still going over it." "Still, the intention is to put out the report and the decision at the same time and that will be soon," the official said. "It's a tough decision and one we'll be happy to explain when we announce it," the official said.