Unfortunately. positive developments in arms control have not been paralleled in the human rights area. While glasnost has enhanced the arms control process. it Is unfortunate that it has yet to significantly change the human rights situation in the Soviet Union. The recent resolution of longstanding divided family and refusenik cases. the release of some political prisoners. and the increase in emigration rates. although very positive and welcome developments. should not overshadow the fact that Americans are still forcibly separated from their Soviet spouses. fiances. and family members. Thousands of Soviet Jews have been. and continue to be. denied the right to emigrate. and. under repressive legislation enacted earlier this year. many thousands of others are prohibited from even applying to emigrate. While 7.000 Soviet Jews have been allowed to emigrate so far this year. 400.000 still seek permission to leave the Soviet Union. and close to 400 political prisoners remain incarcerated in the Soviet Union. The summit offered a unique opportunity for the administration. the Congress and the American people to send the Soviet leadership a strong signal of our unwavering and unequivocal support for the promotion and protection of internationally recognized human rights. It provided the Soviet Union with the opportunity to make dramatic progress in this area by releasing all political prisoners. resolving favorably all outstanding emigration cases. and increasing significantly the rate of emigration from the Soviet Union by adopting a permanent policy of liberalized emigration. These actions would be in compliance with the Soviet Unions international human rights commitments. would remove. once and for all. a contentious issue from the bilateral agenda between our two countries. and would improve the Soviet Unions standing in the community of nations. Conflict in third areas has always been an enduring and destructive point of contention between the superpowers.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration