| Abstract: | This article briefly summarizes the proceedings of the International Conference on Population held in Mexico city in August, 1984. The Secretary General of the Conference, R.M. Salas stated the overriding objective of population policies to be stabilization of global population, and called for cntinuation and strengthening of global population programs. Many delegations gave particular emphasis to the strict respect for state sovereignty in the formulation and implementation of national population policies, and to the basic human right of all couples and individuals to have full freedom to decide the number and spacing of their children, as well as to have full access to information and means necessary to make their decision. The US view that a free economy has a direct and rapid effect on fertility decline was rejected because some delegations deemed it improper to mention only 1 economic system in an international document. A proposal from the Holy See on abortion met with compromise in the adoption of the statement that "abortion should not be, in any case, promoted as a method of family planning." The chariman of the 27 member Chinese delegation, Wang Wei, emphasized in his speech the need for each country to determine its own policy regarding population, and described some of China's achievements in population control. The Chinese delegation made its own contribution to the formulation of 88 recommendations by actively participating in discussions and group consultations and offering its constructive proposals for important items. China was elected as one of the Vice Chairmen of the Conference and served as a member country of the Credential Committee as well as a co-sponsor of the Declaration. |
