Fridae

A bloc of 56 Islamic states, led by Iran and backed by the Vatican, objected on Monday to a new U.N. policy that would extend spousal benefits to the partners of gay and lesbian staff members and to unmarried heterosexual couples if their home country allows it, reported Reuters.

In January, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan moved to recognise non-traditional families of staff from countries where such benefits are provided, such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands.

A U.N. bulletin outlining Annan's new policy says: "A marriage recognised as valid under the law of the country of nationality of a staff member will qualify that staff member to receive the entitlements provided for eligible family members." It also asserts that "a legally recognised domestic partnership" will qualify U.N. staffers for similar benefits.

Iran, representing the 56-nation Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), told a General Assembly finance committee that such a decision needed to be approved by the 191-member assembly and requested Annan submit "in writing a clarification and explanation."

The Washington Times quoted U.N. officials as saying that only a small number of gay staff members worldwide are eligible for the bonuses and allowances normally extended to heterosexual married couples and that the cost to the organisation will be negligible.

A representative of the Holy See, the Vatican's U.N. mission, said the recognition of same-sex unions ran counter to the Roman Catholic Church's concept of marriage and the family.

Despite their stand, there are no known records of the Vatican and other Christian conservatives, who have consistently sought to define marriage as between one man and one woman and who openly regards polygamy as immoral, opposing the U.N.'s little known policy that recognises polygamy for its Muslim staff members.

Polygamy is a fairly common practice in the Islamic world as a legitimate form of marriage.

Although the U.N. does not provide additional benefits to multiple wives, it permits employees to divide their benefits among more than one wife. The little known policy started in the 1960s.

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The Vatican has also shown support for the OIC's plan to oppose a resolution, sponsored by Brazil and supported by the European Union, at the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva that calls for non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

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

Canada and New Zealand supports the policy while U.S. officials have not yet decided whether to oppose the new U.N. measure for American staff although the Bush administration also supports the Vatican and Islamic governments on a range of "family values" issues, including initiatives to restrict abortion rights and curtail the rights of children.

In related news, two Unitarian ministers were charged Monday for solemnising unlicensed marriages between 13 same-sex couples in the upstate New York village of New Paltz.

The Reverends Dawn Sangrey, 62, and Kay Greenleaf, 64, who defied threats of prosecution and conducted weddings on March 6 after the state's attorney general announced same-sex marriages were illegal in New York, could spend up to a year in prison and pay separate fines of US$500 if convicted.

The pair had began performing the marriage ceremonies after Mayor Jason West ceased officiating at same-sex marriages. He has had the same charges levied against him by the Ulster County DA.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan wants the organisation to recognise non-traditional families of staff from countries where benefits for same-sex partners are provided.