From DEBRA@oln.comlink.apc.orgFri Sep 1 09:59:31 1995 Date: Wed, 30 Aug 1995 07:55:00 +0100 From: Debra Guzman Reply to: beijing-conf@tristram.edc.org To: beijing95-l@netcom.com, beijing-conf@tristram.edc.org Subject: CLINTON-CHINA_CONFERENCE_ 26.8 [The following text is in the "ISO-8859-1" character set] [Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set] [Some characters may be displayed incorrectly] DATE=8/26/95 TITLE=CLINTON/CHINA CONFERENCE (L) BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE DATELINE=JACKSON HOLE, WY. INTRO: PRESIDENT AND MRS. CLINTON HAVE USED THE OCCASION OF WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY IN THE UNITED STATES TO DISCUSS THE FIRST LADY'S CONTROVERSIAL TRIP TO CHINA NEXT MONTH TO ATTEND A U-N CONFERENCE. MR. CLINTON TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO CRITICS OF MRS. CLINTON'S PARTICIPATION IN THE FORUM AS HE MARKED THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION, WHICH GIVES WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE. V-O-A WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS. TEXT: PRESIDENT CLINTON IS DISMISSING CRITICISM FROM SOME CONSERVATIVES WHO SAY THE U-N CONFERENCE ON WOMEN IS 'ANTI-FAMILY'. // CLINTON ACTUALITY // HOWEVER ANY ONE MIGHT TRY TO PAINT THIS CONFERENCE, THE TRUTH IS, IT IS 'TRUE-BLUE' TO FAMILIES, TO SUPPORTING THEM, TO CONSERVING THEM, TO VALUING THEM. // END ACT // MR. CLINTON ALSO REJECTED CLAIMS BY SOME CRITICS THAT THE U-S DELEGATION TO THE CONFERENCE INCLUDES REPRESENTATIVES FROM EXTREME LIBERAL GROUPS. BUT THE CONFERENCE HAS ALSO COME UNDER CRITICISM FROM SOME HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS. THEY SAY THE UNITED STATES SHOULD NOT BE REPRESENTED AT A FORUM ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH THAT IS TAKING PLACE IN A COUNTRY THAT PRACTICES INFANTICIDE AND ENFORCES BIRTH CONTROL POLICIES THROUGH MANDATORY ABORTION AND STERILIZATION. THE PRESIDENT -- IN A VEILED REFERENCE TO CHINA -- SAYS THERE ARE COUNTRIES WHERE THE PLIGHT OF WOMEN CAN BE IMPROVED, 75 YEARS AFTER THE UNITED STATES GAVE ITS WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE. // CLINTON ACTUALITY // THERE ARE COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD TODAY THAT HAVE A HUGE IMBALANCE IN THE NUMBER OF MALES AND FEMALES BECAUSE LITTLE GIRLS ARE KILLED AT BIRTH BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THOUGHT TO HAVE SUFFICIENT VALUE. THERE ARE STILL COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT TRY TO FORCE WOMEN NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN. THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN'T IMAGINE IN THIS COUNTRY, WHERE THAT IS THE MOST PROFOUND RIGHT THAT WOMEN HAVE IN THE FAMILY. // END ACT // MR. CLINTON SUGGESTED THE CONFERENCE COULD PROVIDE A UNITED FRONT FOR TREATING WOMEN ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. HE SAYS THE FORUM WILL ADDRESS WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION. OR HER PART, MRS. CLINTON SAYS ISSUES OF CONCERN TO WOMEN SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED. // HILLARY ACTUALITY // IF WOMEN AND GIRLS DON'T FLOUORISH, FAMILIES WON'T FLOURISH. AND IF FAMILIES DON'T FLOURISH, COMMUNITIES AND NATIONS WON'T FLOURISH. // END ACT // THE FIRST LADY'S PARTICIPATION AT THE CONFERENCE WAS ANNOUNCED FRIDAY, A DAY AFTER CHINA EXPELLED AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST HARRY WU. SHE WILL ATTEND THE CONFERENCE ON SEPTEMBER FIFTH AND SIXTH, AND IS IS EXPECTED TO ADDRESS THE FORUM AS HONORARY CHAIR OF THE U-S DELEGATION. (SIGNED) NEB/SD 26-Aug-95 5:38 PM EDT (2138 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America