Speech #1000151664

Mr. Speaker. the present mood of "glasnost" in the Soviet Union offers a new opportunity to appeal to Soviet leaders on behalf of Jews who have requested permission to leave the U.S.S.R. in accordance with international law. and to recognize that those Jews who choose to remain have the same rights accorded every other Soviet nationality and religious minority. As many as 400.000 Soviet Jews are reported to want permission to emigrate from the Soviet Union. Yet In 1987 barely 700 were allowed to leave each month: 8.155 Soviet Jews emigrated during 1987. This compares to a high of 51.000 that received exit visas in 1979. Glasnost has not yet reached Jews in the Soviet Union. Soviet refusal to provide free emigration is a violation of the Helsinki accords. of which the Soviet Union is a signatory. Violations of the human rights of these Soviet citizens stands as an obstacle preventing us from breaking down the walls of misunderstanding between our countries. The progress we have begun to make in arms reductions should give us confidence that we can make progress in other important areas of United StatesSoviet relations.