Speech #1010038550

Paruyr Hayriklan. the elected representative of the Armenian democratic movements in the West. and newly elected president of Democracy and Independence. and the representative to the West of all the democratic resistance movements in the Soviet Union. has publicly declared that Democracy and Independence. and the constituent members of the organization in the U.S.S.R. oppose President Bushs proposal to waive the "JacksonVanik" amendment to the United States Trade Act of 1974 and grant most favored nation trade status to the U.S.S.R. Mr. Hayrikian bases his opposition on the fact that: * I I even if the emigration condition improves. there are other issues that have significantly changed since 1974. The Soviet Bloc owes western financial institutions more than $160.000.000.000. nearly a third of which is to the Soviet Union itself and is wholly unpayable. Moreover. today the Democratic Movements in the Soviet Union are currently forcing change in the Soviet system.