August 16, 1984
The President met this morning with a group of distinguished women leaders representing a cross
section of the American Jewish community. Their discussion focused on foreign policy issues and
concerns, including U.S.-Israeli relations. The President expressed his commitment to the security
of Israel and his belief that the United States can play an important role in assisting the dialog
between Israel and her neighbors.
The President stressed his administration does not condone anti-Semitism in any form. The
President discussed the third International Women's Conference which will take place next year in
Nairobi, marking the end of the United Nations Decade for Women, noting that while the original
goals of the previous two United Nations Women's Conferences (in Mexico City in 1975 and
Copenhagen in 1980) were noble, both conferences became dominated by political issues
extraneous to these goals. Specifically, these conferences became fora for attacks on the State of
Israel and an infamous association of Zionism with racism.
The President made clear today that the United States will actively oppose any conference agenda
item which deviates from important women's issues and calls for the discussion of nongermane
political issues, including any agenda item that could be used as a vehicle to defame Israel. The
United States has consistently opposed such efforts, most recently at the United Nations
Population Conference in Mexico City earlier this week.
In particular, the President noted that the United States will oppose any agenda item at the
Nairobi Conference which associates Zionism with racism. If, despite our efforts, such an agenda
item is adopted, the United States will have no choice but to consider seriously canceling its
participation in the conference.