[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 35 (Friday, February 24, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 NO INVITATION EXTENDED TO KURT WALDHEIM

                                 ______


                        HON. CHARLES E. SCHUMER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 23, 1995
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of 
my colleagues the decision of Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali 
not to invite Kurt Waldheim to speak at the festivities surrounding the 
50th anniversary celebration of the United Nations. I applaud the 
Secretary General's decision that such invitation would not be 
appropriate in light of the fact that the information revealed about 
Waldheim's past would certainly have disqualified him from service at 
the United Nations. I also salute the International Association of 
Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, American Section, a not-for-profit 
professional association whose mission is to promote the rule of law, 
precepts of Judaism, and human rights around the world, for the 
leadership role it has taken in denouncing efforts to invite Waldheim 
to participate in the celebration. For the record, I have attached a 
copy of a letter written by Nathan Lewin, president of the IAJLJ, 
American Section to Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali which 
describes their position and their gratitude for the Secretary 
General's action.

                                  The International Association of


                                   Jewish Lawyers and Jurists,

                                Washington, DC, February 22, 1995.
     Re 50th Anniversary of the U.N. and Waldheim.
     Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali,
     United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY.
       Dear Mr. Secretary General: On behalf of the International 
     Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, American Section 
     (``IAJLJ''), a non-governmental organization member of the 
     United Nations, I applaud your decision not to invite Kurt 
     Waldheim to participate in the festivities surrounding the 
     50th anniversary celebration of the United Nations.
       Our Board of Governors resolved to oppose Mr. Waldheim's 
     participation in the celebration. The IAJLJ's grave concern 
     with honoring Mr. Waldheim is rooted in his well documented 
     links to Nazi activities during World War II. The information 
     that has been revealed about Mr. Waldheim's past would 
     certainly have disqualified him from service at the United 
     Nations if it had been known at the time. It would, 
     therefore, have been totally inappropriate for the United 
     Nations, which was created to prevent a recurrence of the 
     horrors of World War II, to honor an individual who has been 
     tied to those very horrors.
       Accordingly, we applaud the decision to ensure that Mr. 
     Waldheim will neither attend nor participate in the 50th 
     anniversary celebration.
           Sincerely yours,
                                                     Nathan Lewin,
                                      President, American Section.
     

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