Member States pursuant to rule 37. 4. Does nny member of the Council wish to speak on this proposal? 5 - * Mrs. KIRKPATRICK (United States of Amer- ic:r): May I take this opportunity first to congratulate you, Sir, in this public :trena on your accession to the role of President of the Council ;md to express my Government’s perfect confidence that you will conduct our meetings with skill and justice. I should t~lso like to congI-atuIate your predecessor, whom we all hold in very high regard. 6. The United States has repeatedly stated the reasons why we oppose the special formula that the Council uses to invite a representative of the PLC) to participate in the debate. 7. On instructions from my Government, I desire to do so again. tnking fully into account recent events. This special formula appears to treat the PLO as if it represented a State in international law. But it is not a State. It is a political movement which. X+ 1 said on 18 June [237Oth mwti~~g. plrlvr. 51, presents its claims on behalf of it collectivity whose members live under various political jurisdictions. Yet, the proposed for- mula seeks in some unexplained wny to confer upon the PLO “the sitme rights of participation as those conferred on Member States pursuant to rule 37”. We see no basis in policy or law for couching tin invi- tation in these terms. 8. I desire as well to reiterate the position of the United States since this question first arose in 1976. 9. Our position is that we in the United States have no ob.jection whatsoever to the Council’s inviting representatives of the PLO to speak. The United Stutcs has never objected to the Council’s hearing a representative of a political group which has a stake 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a diplomatic statement made during a meeting of the Council, likely discussing a proposal related to the participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the debate. The language used is formal and diplomatic, with the speaker, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, expressing her government's position on the matter. The topic seems to be related to international relations, politics, and diplomacy, which suggests a connection to the fields of government, international organizations, or foreign affairs.

**Category**
International relations, Government