Speaker. that hope and prayers and fasting and entreaties to the Soviet Union are not enough. The brightest sign that we have seen recently is when President Reagan sent our Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade. Lionel Olmer. to Moscow to talk about trade and send one further message to the Soviet leaders. and that is. "If you want to trade with the United States. then you are going to have to deal with emigration and the release of people held against their will in the Soviet Union." But whether it is trade or arms control or science and technology or any other contact that our negotiators have with the Soviet Union. it seems to me we must make it clear that emigration and human rights are not only going to be raised In our discussions. they are not only going to be somewhere on the agenda. they are in fact going to be a part of the substantive negotiations with the United States in any of these areas. Mr. Speaker. we talk about emigration from the Soviet Union. and for Soviet Jews that has to be the highest priority In the long term. but we must never forget that in this moment and in moments to come there is a need to protect people In the Soviet Union in the exercise of their religious freedom. there is a need to protect them in the preservation of their culture and Jewish heritage. and there is a need to end the campaign of antiSemitic poison that has pervaded the Soviet media and official actions. All of that has to also be on the bargaining table and be part of the substantive negotiations with the Soviet Union. The study groups that attempt to teach Hebrew in the Soviet Union. that attempt to preserve Jewish culture. and that educate children in the Jewish religion must be protected. as well as the right to emigrate. Yes. the Helsinki accord review is coming up in May In Ottawa. It is very important to raise these kinds of issues internationally. It should be taken advantage of. But beyond that the bilateral negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union must bring up emigration and basic human rights. Mr. Speaker. the Soviets have said for years and years every time we raise the subject of human rights that the United States and the people in the West have a double standard. that we have one for our foes and another one for our friends. I think it is encouraging. particularly to those who believe that we must enter all negotiations with a single standard for human rights that we expect to be observed. that the United States has recently taken a very strong position in the International Monetary Fund in dealing with the situation in General Plnochets Chile to bring pressure for human rights in that society. not only through quiet diplomacy but through action in international bodies. and that we have taken a very strong position relative to South Africa. recently voting to condemn their policies of apartheid and the repression and removal of blacks from their homelands. We have had that kind of steadfast work. and I see the hand of Elliott Abrams in this work. who has done a magnificent Job in this country in moving forward our program of human rights worldwide. It is that kind of approach that gives us the credibility to say today that we call upon the Soviet Union to live up to our human rights standard. particularly in regard to the Soviet Jews and particularly with regard to religious freedom and emigration. America must always stand for the essence of our being. freedom and opportunity. not just here in our own land. but for people everywhere. We stand together in the Congress. We stood together this afternoon with religious leaders from all over this country working for the day when we will see Soviet Jews enjoying the freedom that every person in the world has the right. a basic right. to enjoy. the freedom of emigration. the freedom of religious belief and the freedom to preserve your cultural identity and heritage. That. Mr.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration