I commend the gentleman from New Jersey for calling this special order today on human rights in the U.S.S.R. and Eastern Europe. I would like to take this opportunity to bring to your attention a specific case of special interest to myself and my constituents. Evgeny Matskin. his wife Ludmilla. and their son Vaadim have repeatedly applied for exit visas in order to emigrate to Israel. Since the Matskins first applied for visas 6 years ago. Mr. Matskin has lost his job three times. It is my understanding that the explanation behind the denial of the visas is Mr. Matskins service in the military as a regular soldier. I believe that the real reason for the Matskin familys difficulties in obtaining the necessary visas is their desire to be repatriated to the homeland of the Jewish people. Israel. The right to free emi. gration is guaranteed under the final act of the conference on security and cooperation in Europe. the universal declaration of human rights. and numerous other interna. tional agreements to which the U.S.S R. is a signatory. Mr. Gorbachev remains firm in his denial of human rights abuses. However. cases like that of the Matskin family. where the basic right to emigrate is refused. clearly contradict this denial. I urge both President Reagan and Secretary General Gorbachev to make human rights a key issue on the agenda at the Geneva summit.
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emigrate visas