Meeting With Lord Killanin, President of the International Olympic Committee White House Statement.

The President today met with the Lord Killanin, the president of the International Olympic Committee, and Mme. Monique Berlioux, its director, at their request. The President reaffirmed that the position of the United States in opposition to sending a team to the 22d Olympic games in Moscow results solely from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and our belief that it was not appropriate to attend the games in a host nation that was invading its neighbor.

The President made clear that this position does not detract in any way from our support of the international Olympic movement, and that we will welcome athletes from any eligible Olympic nation at the 23d Olympic games in Los Angeles in 1984.

The President reaffirmed that the United States will continue to urge other governments and Olympic Committees to oppose participation in the Olympic games in Moscow this summer. He noted that more than 40 National Olympic Committees, including those of the United States, West Germany, Canada, China, Norway, Kenya, Argentina, and numerous Moslem nations, have already decided not to attend the Olympic games in Moscow. More major national committees are expected to take the same position during the next 2 weeks.