Speech #1000133854

Secretary General Gorbachev appealed for a resumption of our wartime status as allies in confronting the problems of the modern world. He said. "Cant we join our efforts. * * * pool the enormous might of our countries economies. intellectual capacities to resolve these problems?" I say yes we can confront the problems of this modern world together. However. one of the very first steps is to confront the issue of human rights including the right of all people to emigrate from their homeland. It is time for the Soviet Government to honestly confront this issue. It is time to stop using state security as the excuse to deny its Jewish population the right to emigrate. The entire world looks with great anticipation to the upcoming United StatesSoviet Union summit. It is anticipated that this meeting will result in a historic step in nuclear arms reduction and will lead to further reductions in nuclear arms. however. there are many other issues such as human rights. adherence to the Helsinki accords. and emigration that must be discussed. The right of a person to emigrate from their homeland is a basic human right. The right of a Soviet Jew to emigrate from the Soviet Union is further supported by three international documents: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1947). International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (1966). and Helsinki Agreement (1975). The Soviet Union has committed itself to all three of these agreements. It is a travesty that the Soviet Union cannot adhere to the promises contained in these documents. The Soviet policy towards its Jewish citizens and their right to emigrate has changed little since the signing of the Helsinki Agreement in 1975. Jewish emigration is at an extremely lowlevel while harassment of Soviet Jews seeking exit visas continues. It appears that the rise to power of Secretary Gorbachev. in March 1985. has done little to alleviate $he pain and suffering of Soviet Jews. If glasnost is real and is to be believed by the West. then now is the time for the Soviet Government and the new Soviet leadership to distinguish itself. By addressing the right of emigration by its citizens at the upcoming summit. Secretary Gorbachev and the Soviet leadership can show the world that they are committed to addressing the problems of the modern world. The Soviet Union and its leaders must understand that this Nation and its leaders. whether Democratic or Republican. will continue to fight for basic human rights. They must understand that human rights will always be an integral part of our foreign policy and that it will be impossible to improve our relations and return to the status of allies as long as they persist in harassing and oppressing their Jewish citizens. They must understand that the issue of Soviet Jewry and their right to emigrate is one issue in Congress that has overwhelming bipartisan support. Until they accept this basic right. it will be impossible to break down the barriers that have separated our countries for the past 40 years.