Speech #970227683

Romania remains a valuable source for U.S. exportsespecially agriculture products. coal. and hides. Our principal imports from Romania include naphthas. iron. and steel plates. and light industrial products. An important condition of this favorable trading relationship is that Romania make continued progress in assuring free emigration. although the committee reviews the status of Romanian emigration each year under the JacksonVanik provisions of the Trade Act of 1974. Romanias emigration procedures remain slow and restrictive. The numbers of persons emigrating from Romania to Israel and to the United States have remained consistent since 1976. yet it is apparent that many who wish to leave still find great difficulties in doing so. In addition. the number of exit visas issued by the Romanian Government has fluctuated during each year. with some departures being negotiated during the waiver renewal period. The committee has been concerned that Romanias emigration procedures overall have not been improved in a manner that is permanently established. This has led to an annual head count and pressure from individual Members of Congress to let this individual or that family out before the waiver is renewed each year. This year. under the leadership of the distinguished chairman of the Trade Subcommittee. the committee has sought assurances from the Romanian Government that substantial improvements will be made in their emigration performance on an overall basis. that is. both numbers and procedures. Of principal concern to us are preclearance procedures that are often viewed as a technique for harassment and discrimination. excessively long processing time for applications. and possible obstruction of actual departure once an exit visa is granted. Also of concern to us has been discrimination or forced assimilation of Hungarian minorities living in Romania and harassmenteven imprisonmentof members of evangelical groups seeking to worship as they choose. Recently the Romanian Government released several individuals who allegedly had been jailed for selling Bibles. The subcommittee will continue to press for the elimination of such practices so that violations of human rights will never have to be a cause of strained relations between our two countries. Romanian officials have responded positively to these concerns and have agreed to enter into serious negotiations with the United States this September in an effort to reach an understanding on emigration issues. Concrete improvements in emigration procedures will weigh heavily in our consideration of the waiver renewal in 1983. However. this year. it was the consensus of the committee that the waiver be renewed and that we work with the Romanians to resolve existing problems. Failure to extend the waiver this year would mean that MFN would terminate immediately. This would severely limit our ability to make further progress on emigration issues and other areas of mutual concern. Without the valuable leverage of MFN. the United States will have lost an extremely important area of common interest. Romania. and Romanian citizens wishing to emigrate. would move farther and farther from our influence. Mr. Speaker. it is my belief that the waiver should be renewed for 1 more year. Under the renewal. we expect and look forward to improvements in emigration policies and procedures in the near term. With such assurances. I urge my colleagues to vote no on the resolution of disapproval.e