The Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith applauded the U.S. Department of Energy decision not to participate in a World Energy Conference in New Delhi today because the Indian government barred Israel from attending.
In a telegram to Energy Secretary Donald Hodel, ADL national chairman Kenneth Bialkin said the decision not to attend the Energy Conference was “admirable.” He commended the Secretary’s statement that the “U.S. government would not participate in international conferences when the host country bars attendance by representatives of responsible members of the community of nations.”
“We only hope,” Bialkin concluded in the telegram, “that other governments around the world follow the American lead.” Bialkin also called on the Administration to communicate to the Indian government that the principle of universal participation should be adhered to in future conferences held in that country.
In October, 1982, Israeli representatives were also barred from attending an international bar association conference in New Delhi by the Indian host committee on the advice of the Indian government.
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