Egypt is to host a UN conference on population control in September, but is having to clear up differences with the Vatican on a joint declaration referring to abortion.

The Vatican and several Latin American countries have voiced the fear that abortion on demand will be given a green light by a section of the draft agreement on family planning and safe motherhood. They want to outlaw abortion under any circumstances and restrict family planning to married couples. However, the US says it is determined to override their objections and include a declaration on abortion in the Cairo document. Most of the draft document has been agreed in preparatory meetings in New York, Egypt's Population & Family Affairs Minister Maher Mahran says.