Keith Braun. Keith and Svetlana had been married since 1984. However. they were not able to live together as husband and wife should because the Soviet Government refused to abide by accepted international agreements and let Svetlana emigrate to the United States to join her husband. With encouragement from the administration. several congressional delegations. one of which I participated in. to the Soviet Union. the news media and several other sources. the Soviet Government finally allowed Svetlana to emigrate. However. while all of us were extremely happy to have Mrs. Braun with us in the United States. our joy was tempered by the knowledge of how difficult it was for her to emigrate. how difficult life was for her in the Soviet Union while she tried to come to the United States. and the fact that there are still many other divided spouses who are still separated because of Soviet emigration policy. When Soviet officials denied Mrs. Braun and the many other divided spouses the opportunity to emigrate from the Soviet Union. they have ignored the 1975 Helsinki accords which the Soviet Union signed. That international agreement commits signatories to allow reunification of families and the right of binational couples to choose their country of residence. Mr.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration