Speech #990160195

Naum Meiman and his wife have been trying for years to leave the Soviet Union and join their daughter. Olga Plum. who is a constituent of mine in Colorado. The Meimans repeatedly have been denied emigration visas to seek medical treatment and to be reunited with their daughter. They have been told repeatedly that Mrs. Meiman is too ill to travel. that satisfactory medical treatment for Mrs. Meiman is already available in the Soviet Union. that a Ministry of Health certificate. stating that treatment abroad. is necessary. must be presented to Soviet emigration officalsonly to be told by the Ministry of Health that such certificates do not exist. It is little consolation that we. in the Congress. who have also been working for years on the Meimans behalf are also frustrated. Our frustration is minor compared to what Naum and Inna Meiman must face every day. But it is realand it is beyond my understanding what the Soviet authorities have to gain by continuing to deny the necessary exit visas to the Meimans. I raised the Meimans case directly with Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko and other Soviet officals when I visited Moscow in January of last year. I have pursued the case with Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin and have written to General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev asking his help in securing an exit visa for the Meimans. It is of the greatest importance that the Meimans and other Soviet Jews who wish to emigrate be reminded constantly that they have friends and supporters around the world. It is equally important the Soviet Government be constantly reminded of that fact. I hope that my colleagues will join Senator SIMON and me in using every available opportunity and channel of communication to raise the Meiman case with Soviet Officials and diplomats. Improvement in United StatesSoviet relations cannot be based solely on the status of arms control negotiations. Better relations must also be based on a recognition of. and respect for. basic human rightsincluding the right to emigrate. I look forward to the day when the Senate can ratify an arms control agreement between the United States and the Soviet Unionand I look forward to the day when my family has the pleasure of visiting with Naum and Inna Meiman in our home in Denver.