The Vatican Friday urged governments around the world to decriminalize homosexuality but said a proposed U.N. resolution on the issue went too far.
Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said the Holy See’s delegation explained the position at the United Nations late on Thursday, criticizing the wording of a European-backed text that champions decriminalization of homosexuality.
“The Holy See continues to advocate that every sign of unjust discrimination toward homosexual persons should be avoided and urges States to do away with criminal penalties against them,” read the delegation’s remarks, released by the Vatican on its website (www.vatican.va) Friday.
“At the same time, the Holy See notes that the wording of this declaration goes well beyond the above mentioned and shared intent.”
Meanwhile, AP reports that the United States has also refused to sign the UN document:
Alone among major Western nations, the United States refused to sign a declaration presented Thursday at the United Nations calling for worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality.
In all, 66 of the U.N.’s 192 member countries signed the nonbinding declaration – which backers called a historic step to push the General Assembly to deal more forthrightly with any-gay discrimination. More than 70 U.N. members outlaw homosexuality, and in several of them homosexual acts can be punished by execution.