Speech #930141778

I doubt that they can. although it appears that they shall have their chance. Bowing to political reality. the administration has abandoned for the time being its effort to secure equal trade treatment for the Soviet Union. It did so to avoid a prospective congressional vote on the Jackson amendment. which would make both equal trade treatment and ordinary commercial credits contingent upon free emigration from the Soviet Uniona blatant intrusion upon internal Soviet affairs. The result is that. for the time being at least. Soviet trade will continue to be discriminated against. and we shall now see how the Jackson approach works for our national interest. We shall see specifically. whether continued trade discrimination provides leverage for SovietAmerican cooperation in the Middle East. and whether it will induce the Russians to drop remaining emigration controls and grant civil liberties to its citizens. Perhaps the Jackson approach will work. but if it should fail to bring the desired results. the congressional majorities which have insisted upon linking equal trade treatment with internal reforms within the Soviet Union may wish to reconsider their attitude toward detente and intervention in Soviet internal affairs. My own view is that the bestand mostwe can do to advance the cause of liberties within the Soviet Union is to build an interna onal atmosphere or climate of security and confidence through trade. investment. cultural exchange. frequent political contacts. and above all. arms control.