88. Telegram 138989 From the Department of State to All Diplomatic Posts, June 5, 1976, 1637Z.1 2
TELEGRAM
Department of State
138989
P 051637Z JUN 76
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC POSTS PRIORITY
XMT
AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
AMEMBASSY SUVA
STATE 138989
E.O. 11652:N/A
TAGS: ILO, PORG, WEC
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE ON U.S. WALKOUTS FROM ILO CONFERENCES OVER PLO PARTICIPATION
1. USDEL TO WORLD EMPLOYMENT CONFERENCE (WEC) IN GENEVA HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO WALK OUT WHENEVER PLO ADDRESSES CONFERENCE. THIS FOLLOWS DECISION BY ILO GOVERNING BODY LATE JUNE 4 (31 FOR, 23 AGAINST, 1 ABSTENTION) AMENDING STANDING ORDERS OF WEC TO PERMIT LIBERATION MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE OBSERVER STATUS AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO HAVE SAME STATUS AT WEC. FOLLOWING GUIDANCE MAY BE HELPFUL IN ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT U.S. ACTION.
2. BACKGROUND:
A. AT ITS 60TH SESSION IN JUNE 1975, ILO’S GENERAL CONFERENCE ADOPTED CHANGES TO STANDING ORDERS PERMITTING REPRESENTATIVES OF LIBERATION MOVEMENTS RECOGNIZED BY ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY OR LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS OF CONFERENCE AND ITS COMMITTEES WHEN INVITED BY THE CONFERENCE OR GOVERNING BODY (GB). U.S. VOTED AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL WHICH, ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT MENTION THE PLO BY NAME, CLEARLY APPLIED TO IT, AND ACCUSED THE CONFERENCE OF BETRAYING PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. U.S. DELEGATION, IN SOLIDARITY WITH WORKER AND EMPLOYER DELEGATES, WALKED OUT OF SESSION IN WHICH PLO REPRESENTATIVES TOOK THEIR-PLACE AND ADDRESSED ILO CONFERENCE.
B. ILO GOVERNING BODY APPROVED THE STANDING ORDERS FOR WEC IN MARCH 1976. THESE ORDERS ALLOWED FOR OBSERVER STATUS BUT NONE OF THE INTERPRETATIONS FIT THE PLO. IN MAY SESSION OF GOVERNING BODY, ISSUE OF WEC STANDING ORDERS WAS REOPENED AND FOLLOWING STRONG OPPOSITION FROM USG TO ANY CHANGE IN THE STANDING ORDERS, THE GOVERNING BODY UPHELD THE ORDERS, AGAIN DENYING PLO RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE AS OBSERVERS IN THE WEC. GOVERNING BODY’S JUNE 4 REVERSAL OF THIS MAY DECISION FOLLOWED REQUEST TO ANNUAL CONFERENCE FROM ILO MEMBERS OF OAU THAT STANDING ORDERS BE AMENDED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PERMIT PLO TO PARTICIPATE IN WEC.
3. RATIONALE FOR U.S. WALKOUT:
A. THE U.S. ACTION WAS TAKEN TO DEMONSTRATE OPPOSITION TO DECISIONS OF THE GOVERNING BODY THAT WERE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AND MANIFESTLY IN CONFLICT WITH THE PURPOSES OF THE ILO. THE WALKOUT IS TEMPORARY; IT IN NO WAY DIMINISHES U.S. DETERMINATION TO WORK WITHIN THE ILO FOR REFORM.
B. THE UNDERLYING REASON FOR U.S. OBJECTION TO PLO PARTICIPATION IN ILO PROCEEDINGS IS THAT THE PLO REPRESENTS NEITHER GOVERNMENT, WORKERS NOR EMPLOYERS. IN ADDITION, THE WEC IS A TECHNICAL CONFERENCE IN WHICH PARTISAN POLITICAL ACTIONS ARE PARTICULARLY INAPPROPRIATE.
4. DECISION TO WALK OUT OF THE WEC WAS MADE AFTER THOROUGH CONSULTATION WITH U.S. WORKER AND EMPLOYER ORGANIZATIONS. ALL THREE REPRESENTATIVES ARE FOLLOWING SIMILAR POLICIES.
5. IN MAKING ABOVE POINTS, MISSIONS SHOULD EMPHASIZE THAT CRITICAL ELEMENT IN U.S. DECISION WAS A) LONG STANDING U.S. OPPOSITION TO POLITICIZATION OF SPECIALIZED AGENCIES
6. U.S. DEL HAS ALSO ILO ANNUAL CONFERENCE WHENEVER PLO ADDRESSES CONFERENCE. CONTINGENCY PRESS GUIDANCE FOR THIS ACTION CONTAINED IN STATE 134939 BEING REPEATED ALL DIPLOMATIC POSTS FOR INFORMATION AND FOR USE IN REPLYING TO QUESTIONS. ROBINSON
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, D760217–1017. Limited Official Use; Priority. Drafted by Lorenz; cleared by Helman and Palmer and in NEA, S/IL, and Department of Labor (in substance); and approved by Toussaint.↩
- The Department provided guidance for posts in explaining the U.S. response to the participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization in International Labor Organization conferences.↩