President. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the plight of one man who is suffering today unnecessarily. because of the policies of the Soviet Government. Alexander loffe. a renowned mathematician living in Moscow. has undertaken a hunger strike to help his son emigrate to Israel. He is now in the 14th day of his hunger strike. Ten years ago. Ioffe himself was denied permission to emigrate to Israel. He lost his professorship and his research facilities. Now. his sons request to emigrate has been denied. and Ioffe has decided to challenge the Soviet Governments purportedly reformed policy for emigration. It is indeed a cruel twist of fate. Mr. President. that Alexander Ioffes hunger strike accompanies the unveiling of a "new and improved" Soviet emigration policy. Although the Soviet Government is striving in word to improve the procedures for emigration. its actions in this case so far. as in literally hundreds of thousands of other cases. belie that promise. It would be truly tragic if Alexander Ioffe were to starve to death because of the obstinacy of a restrictive bureaucracy that fails to uphold its word. I sincerely hope that the Soviet Government can recognize the plight of this man and his family. and sincerely strive to improve upon its emigration policy. In an interview 3 years ago. Alexander Ioffe said. "In the Soviet Union. freedom is something that is intangible and mysterious." Let us hope that. someday.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration