No one denies we face a difficult and distasteful choice when we decide to continue MFN treatment to Romania. Harassment of minorities and denial of religious freedom is so abhorrent to us we might easily cast a vote for this amendment in outrage. But while temporarily alleviating our own anger. adoption of the Wolf amendment would leave us emptyhanded and powerless to continue to achieve the successes we have had increasing emigration levels. The strength of our position in obtaining the release of thousands of Romanians develops out of the process of the review. The Wolf amendment may make us feel good. but we ought to think about the people we want to help. We should not give up the only way we have to help them. Every year. as we approach June and the pressure mounts. emigration approvals rise. more people are released from jail. more bibles are allowed in and more improvements in religious freedom occur. The cyclical nature of their efforts is unfortunate and the -ituation remains dismal but can we �eally believe things will be helped if the United States is no longer involved? The Ways and Means Committee. which looks at the question of emigration levels annually. considered the Wolf proposal last year and rejected it as unhelpful. All witnesses from the business community involved in trade with Romania were in agreement with the administration that a 6 month suspension would have the same effect as letting MFN status lapse altogether. In the everyday world of business decisions it is not conceivable that trade. interrupted for 6 monthswould easily resume again.
Keywords matched
emigration