Speech #1020142808

I feat for the future of Island and I fear for our future relationship with that valued friend and ally. I am also fearful of the U.S. losing its moral position in the Middle East. With the disintegration of the Soviet Union. we are on the brink of achieving one of our longest hold foreign policy goalsfreedom of immigration for Soviet Jews. This policy was codified in the JacksonVanik amendment to the 1974 trade act which denied mostfavorednation trade status to the Soviet Union unless free and sustained immigration was allowed for all religious and other minorities. The longawaited day has finally arrived. but for political and other shortsigned reasons. the Bush administration seems willing to let this opportunity to slip through its hands. One year ago. in the wake of the gulf war. Israel requested assistance in helping to resettle the hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees fleeing persecution in the former Soviet Union. Because President Bush and Secretary Baker were attempting to forge a Middle East peace conference. they asked Israel to withhold its request until the end of that fiscal year. Understanding the problems which faced the President.