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WSA WORLD PRESS RELEASE

 

FOR GENERAL RELEASE CONTACT:

21 APRIL, 1976 NEW YORK: Ci. 7-6161

 

WORLD CITIZEN GARRY DAVIS FLYING TO FRANCE

 

ON WORLD PASSPORT

 

NEW YORK -- In a letter dated 20 April, 1976, World Citizen Garry Davis advised President Giscard d'Estaing of his forthcoming flight to France to regain "World Territory," the present headquarters of the World Service Authority, in Hesingue, Haut-Rhin, after his short visit to the United States to attend the memorial service of his father, Meyer Davis.

Mr. Davis was admitted to the United States on his World Service Authority passport issued by the human rights organization he heads which has its legal base in Basel, Switzerland. The Swiss Department of Justice, however, with the approval of the Federal Council, have issued an interdiction of entry against Mr. Davis in March, 1975 after his request for political asylum was refused by the Berne government. Thus, the temporary headquarters of the WSA is actually in France on land owned jointly by Mr. Davis and his wife. Its official designation is "World Territory" according to the deed.

During his trip to the United States, Mr. Davis visited thje North American headquarters of the World Service Authority at 664 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago. He also conferred with Dr. Luis Kutner, Chief Justice of the World Court of Human Rights, and chairman of the Commission on World Habeas Corpus, concerning the legal feasibility of declaring the present W.S.A. headquarters extra-territorial vis-a-vis the French state. "If the United Nations, which is nothing more than an association of states, can legally own the land on which it is situated," Mr. Davis told reporters during a press conference in Chicago, "certainly our government of declared world citizens can own the piece of territory on which is situated its administrative offices. Besides, the French Government in 1948 ceded the Palais de Chaillot to the United Nations during its Paris session . Also many French towns during the Napoleonic era were granted charters as 'Free Towns.' There is nothing new about the idea. What is new is that for the first time a piece of Mother Earth would be dedicatexd to the implementation of fundamental human rights under a regime of world law. And that's what it's all about."

The World Citizen intends to return to the United States in June as a candidate for 'world political office' under the aegis of the newly-formed World Citizens Party, 1590 Broadway, San Francisco. "No presidentikal candidate is addressing himself to the three top issues facing the U.S. electorate," declared Mr. Davis, "inflation, integrity in government and world peace. These are global issues, not national, Politicsa must meet the challenge of the 20th century, not the 19th. Direct, popular representation on the global level, say democratic representation to the United Natisons, is a must for ultimate survival. This means getting down to the knitty gritth of political party politics. The alternative is the continuation of the national armament race and the final holocaust. The average voter must be given a choice in a realistic, standard, accepted form. My candidacy is meant only to stimulate others to enter the global political ring. Dick Gregory is already a citizen of our World Government with a passport to match. So is Yogi Bhajan, leader of the Sikh Dharma Brotherhood. So is George Wald of Harvard and Nobel Laureate in Biology. 'World peace through law,' and 'No taxation without representation' must now become the battle-cries of the politically dispossessed."

 

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