U.S. dogma hinders AIDS battle

Carol Goar
Toronto Star

For the past seven days, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, one of the principal agencies in the fight against AIDS, has been holding an international policy session in Vienna.

For the past week, AIDS activists from North America, Europe, Asia and Africa have been urging delegates not to be bullied into endorsing the U.S. position. "Silencing the U.N. on needle exchange is deadly diplomacy," said Jonathan Cohen of Human Rights Watch.

As the session draws to a close, it looks as if delegates will avoid taking an explicit stand on harm reduction programs and settle for a bland consensus that would allow the U.S. to keep flexing its financial and political muscles behind the scenes.