Congressional Opposition Expected to Funds for Ilo Following Admission of PLO As Observers

Strong Congressional opposition, centering in the Senate, was forecast today against continuing payment of United States contributions to the International Labor Organization because of its grant of observer status to the Palestine Liberation Organization. Delegations, representing United States trade unions, the U.S. government and American employers, walked out of the ILO annual conference in Geneva last week after the United Nations spe- cialized agency voted observer status to the PLO.

In the latest Senatorial expression of opposition toward a UN agency extending recognition to the PLO, Sen, Richard S. Schweiker (R.Pa.) served notice he would urge Congress to withdraw U.S. financial support from the ILO for “legitimizing” Arab terrorists. The House Appropriations Subcommittee has approved funds totalling nearly $30 million for payment by the U.S. of its 25 percent share of the total ILO budget, as requested by the State Department.

“The United States has nothing in common with an arm of the UN which recognizes the PLO as a bona fide spokesman for the Arab people,” Schweiker said last night at a Jewish United Fund of Chicago meeting. “This intentional isolation of Israel from the International community is a grave threat, to the viability of the United Nations Itself.”

Senators Schweiker, Clifford Case (R,NJ) and Hubert Humphrey (D,Minn,), all members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, were among those instrumental in convincing the U.S. delegation to the World Health Organization to oppose recognition of the PLO which the WHO did not admit. The Senate also has blocked U.S. support of UNESCO in response to its anti-Israel actions. Congressional foes of the PLO also are looking into the UN Development Fund which helps finance the ILO, The U.S. contributes about 20 percent of the Development Fund or about $12 million.