Mr. Speaker. the remembrance of the Holocaust and the recent anniversary of the end of the struggle to defeat Nazi racism and genocide make it especially fitting for us today to reiterate grave concern over the fate of Soviet Jewry and to renew the appeal to General Secretary Gorbachev to recognize the solemn commitments made by the U.S.S.R. at Helsinki on basic human rights. Daily. we read reports of mistreatment of Soviet Jews seeking to emigrate from the U.S.S.R. and the intensifying campaign of repression the Soviets wage against Jewish cultural activists and refuseniks. The issue of religious freedom in the U.S.S.R.. as well as the rights and welfare of those imprisoned for their religious or human rights activities. remain matters of fundamental concern to me. The number of Soviet Jewish citizens allowed to emigrate has now fallen to historically low levels. Fewer than 900 Soviet Jews were allowed to emigrate in 1984. Recently. there have been reports that the level of emigration is slightly increasing. I can only hope that the new Soviet leaders have finally concluded that no overall improvement in relations with the United States is possible unless our genuine human rights concerns are addressed. The President. correctly. has stated that we do not seek to force the Soviets to change their system. We do. however. demand that they live up to their Helsinki obligations and respect the rights of those seeking to emigrate. The Soviets should also adopt a more accommodating position toward visa applications from former Soviet citizens seeking to visit relatives still in the U.S.S.R. I am pleased that Commerce Secretary Baldrige is now in Moscow for the first session of the U.S.-U.S.S.R. Joint Commercial Commission since 1978.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration visa