Speech #1010113285

Under Mr. Gorbachevs leadership. the Soviet Union has shown an increased commitment to its citizens. and a greater responsiveness to their demands for peroonal freedom. For example. in the month of September. 8.444 Soviet Jews emigrated from the U.S.S.Ran increase of nearly 2.000 emigrants from the previous month. and the highest monthly figure on record. These advances in the area of human rights are promising. But. in our rush to applaud such progress. we must not lose sight of obligations yet unfulfilled. Hundreds of Soviet Jews and other citizens who wish to emigrate remain in the Soviet Union. having been denied exit visas under restrictions which the Soviet Union has previously pledged to eliminate. Among those waiting are Mark Bernstein and his wife Mary. Mr. Bernstein is what is referred to as a "poor relative." Poor relatives are people who are barred from even applying to emigrate because they cannot obtain the necessary financial waivers from their relatives. The Soviets maintain that this stipulation is designed to protect family members to whom the emigre may have a financial obligation. In effect. however. this regulation gives the Soviets yet another way to control the movement and freedom of its citizens. Oftentimes. however. poor relatives are refused emigration visas for reasons other than financial obligation. Relatives sometimes refuse to sign the waiver for far of retribution by Soviet authorities. or simply because they do not maintain good relations with the family member in question. In the case of Mark Bernstein. the reason he is unable to leave the Soviet Union has more to do with personal conflict than with legitimate financial claims.