Mr. President. I rise to express my concern and. frankly. dismay over the administrations request that the Congress delay consideration of the refugee guarantees for Soviet Jewish absorption in Israel. I oppose their request because I believe that this assistance is a humanitarian issue. not a political issue. and ought not to be linked in any way to the peace process. That linkage does danger to the peace process. in fact. because I believe that it encourages Israels enemies to think that the United States will take care of squeezing out concessions before the peace table is arrived at. It is the wrong impression to give. Over the last two decades. the United States has led the world in appealing for the freedom of Soviet Jewry and has been a petitioner for emigration. We have had laws on our books that prevent trade concessions for the Soviet Union because they did not permit free emigration. We are all aware that a number of former refuseniks have stated that it was U.S. action which kept alive their hopes of religious freedom and respect for human rights. Not only did the United States support Soviet Jewish emigration. but by limiting refugee entry into the United States. our policy actually encouraged them to emigrate to Israel. One million Soviet Jews are expected to emigrate to Israel over the next 5 years. which will result in an increase of about 20 percent of Israels population. As their dreams come to fruition. the United States is presented with a historic opportunity to help with their absorption and make good on our commitment to them. I strongly support the proposed refugee guarantees as a costeffective. humanitarian. and urgent means of assisting with Soviet resettlement. Developments in the Soviet Union. as encouraging as they are. portend a period of political and economic instability and cast a troublesome shadow on the future and safety of Jews in the region. Ethnic nationalism is on the rise in each of the Republics. and the onset of winter and potential famine could fuel ethnic tensions.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration refugee