Speech #990066254

Yes. Mark and Ted were invaluable. In addition to the plight of Soviet Jewry. another emigration issue was called to my attention during our recent trip to the U.S.S.R. I had not been aware of the difficulties many Greek residents are facing in their efforts to emigrate from the Soviet Union. Some 25.000 of the approximately 500.000 Greeks in Russia are seeking to emigrate to Greece. but virtually none are currently receiving exit permission. Greek emigration has flowed from a level of 100 to 120 per month just a few years ago to the present level of just one family a month. Those knowledgeable with the issue attribute the Soviets unwillingness to allow Greeks to emigrate in part to the Soviets desire to maintain Greeks and other socalled white nationals. as they call them. in Central Asia as a balance to the rising AsianIslamic population. What the Soviets fail to see is that these calculated population goals interfere. as the gentleman from Wisconsin has constantly said. with the basic human rights of individuals to emigrate freely. to be reunited with their families and to return to their homelands. And that is the bottom line when we are speaking about the desire of individuals to emigrate freely and to live in a country of their choosing. This is a basic human right which the Soviets refuse to acknowledge. despite the fact that they are signatories to the Helsinki accord to 1975 and despite the fact that official Soviet policy permits free emigration. But policy and fact. unfortunately. do not coincide. One of the things we were struck by during our visit is the close attention being paid to the recently announced summit conference. as Steve.