Speech #930345826

Mr. President. the emigration agreement worked out between Senators JACKSON. RIBICOFF. and JAVITs and Secretary Kissinger. based on Soviet assurances. is a highly commendable one. It contains the elements necessary to assure unhindered emigration from the Soviet Union which many in the Senate have continually stated is a mandatory prerequisite for the extension of mostfavorednation treatment and a continuance of U.S. credit to the Soviet Union. Compliance by the U.S.S.R. with the provisions of that agreement will be a significant step in furthering the implementation of basic. internationally recognized human rights. and strengthening the process toward a meaningful United StatesSoviet detente which we all desire. I wish to stress that. in extending the authority to the President to extend MFN and credits to the U.S.S.R.. the Congress firmly expects compliance by the Soviet Union with the terms of the emigration agreement. Violations of that agreement will result in the certain termination by the Congress of trade benefits to the U.S.S.R. at the end of the 18month "waiver period." We expect that compliance to be in effect throughout the full 18month period. rather than. for instance. merely at the end of that period under the false expectation that the Congress will consider such sporadic compliance as sufficient to warrant an extension of U.S. trade benefits to the U.S.S.R. Over the past year. in response to expressed concerns by my constituents. I have written to Soviet officials concerning dozens of Soviet citizens denied permission to emigrate from the U.S.S.R. Some of those have been allowed to leave. the majority of them are still held in the Soviet Union. Some have been waiting up to 3 or 4 years for permission to leave. As a result of the implementation of the emigration agreement. which provides that "applications for emigration will be processed in order of receipt. including those previously filed." I expect those individuals still in the U.S.S.R. about whom I have inquired to be allowed to emigrate promptly. I wish to emphasize that this agreement applies to all citizens of Eastern bloc nations which do not now have MFN status. and it is not limited to the issue of Soviet Jews. However. I have been particularly concerned about those Soviet citizens who are in prison as punishment for their efforts to emigrate to Israel. My grave concern for their welfare prompted me to "adopt"-that is. to agree to take a special interest in. the cases of "prisoners of conscience" Yosif Mendelevich and Mark Dymshitz. The letter of agreement on emigration from Secretary Kissinger to Senator JACKSON states thatPersons imprisoned who. prior to imprisonment expressed an interest in emigration. will be given prompt consideration for emigration upon their release. and sympathetic consideration may be given to the early release of such persons. I wish to emphasize the importance of sympathetic consideration being given by the Soviet Government to the early release of such prisoners.