Mr. Speaker. the National Conference on Soviet Jewry recently issued a report which analyzes the Soviet practice of restricting emigration on the grounds of knowledge of "state secrets." The report entitled. "Who May Leave: A Review Of Soviet Practice Of Restricting Emigration On Grounds Of Knowledge Of State Secrets In Comparison With Standards Of International Law And The Policies Of Other States." is a very important document. Soviet policy on "state secrets" is at sharp variance with the rule of international law and the accepted norms of behavior in the international community. In light of all the attention being paid to reforms enacted in the Soviet Union under the leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev. this report is most timely. The denial of permission to emigrate on the basis of knowledge of "state secrets" continues unabated despite Soviet insistence that its policy on the matter has been liberalized. I urge my colleagues to read this report and to keep pressure on the Soviet Government to stop denying its citizens the right to emigrate under the false pretext of knowledge of "state secrets." The text of the report follows: SUMMARY This report analyzes the law and practices of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with respect to the emigration of its citizens generally and. in particular. those persons deemed to possess "state secrets." It is the claim of the Soviet Union that its policy is in substantial accord with standards of international law and the practices of other major nations. We have found otherwise. Our basic conclusion is that international law and the law and practices of other major developed states recognize the right of a citizen to emigrate. and that the Soviet Union stands alone among such nations in denying this general right to its citizens. To the extent Soviet law permits emigration. the ability to leave is expressly limited by law to exclude those in possession of "state secrets." In practice. this exclusion appears to be so broadly interpreted as to bar ordinary persons in routine walks of life from leaving. The Soviet Union appears to preclude the emigration of its citizens on grounds of "national security" or possession of state secrets in circumstances that neither international law nor the law of any other major developed state would regard as sufficient cause to restrict emigration.
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