Speech #980166542

For my part in this special order. I would like to recognize the plight of Aziz Manashirov and his family. whose story was called to my attention by students in my congressional district who are members of the Student Coalition for Soviet Jewry. Aziz Manshirov. his wife Sarah and their son first sought to emigrate to Israel in 1974. so that they could join Aziz family there. The Manashirov family was denied permission to emigrate in November of 1974 based on Aziz military serviceAziz. a carpenter with little formal education. was discharged from the army in 1970 and signed an undertaking not to leave the U.S.S.R. during the following 5 years. However. it has now been more than a decade since Aziz completed his service and he still receives refusals to his application to emigrate. Aziz case is interesting in that his father. mother. three sisters. and a brother were permitted to emigrate to Israel in 1974 and have forwarded Aziz and his family an invitation and submitted all the necessary documents. to no avail. It is my hope that as we herald in new Soviet leadership. cases such as that of the Manashirov family will receive the humanitarian attention they deserve.*