Powell: Part of international AIDS funding will combat polygamous relationships

Secretary of State Colin Powell on Saturday said part of the recently approved $15 billion international AIDS initiative will focus on encouraging abstinence and monogamy in traditionally polygamous African societies. "Polygamous means you have more than one partner but it's within some family unit," Powell said while being interviewed on CNN. "What we're saying is that young people especially should be very careful about indiscriminate sex. Abstention means that you are protected." Powell also said the Bush administration has pledged to work with drug manufacturers to secure lower prices on HIV antiretroviral medications for developing countries, but he did not comment on U.S. opposition to a World Trade Organization agreement that would allow poor nations to make or import generic versions of patented anti-HIV drugs. The United States is the only country that refuses to endorse the WTO plan.