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ED 282 815 SO 018 237 AUTHOR Zimmermann, Warren TITLE The Evolving Soviet Approach to Human Rights. Current Policy No. 929. INSTITUTION Department of State, Washington, DC. Bureau of Public Affairs. PUB DATE Apr 87 NOTE 5p.; Address presented at the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Vienna, Austria, January 27 and February 20, 1987). PUB TYPE Speeches/Conference Papers (150) -- Reports Descriptive (141) -- Viewpoints (120) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Civil Liberties; Diplomatic History; Foreign Countries; Fol:eign Policy; Freedom of Speech; International Cooperation; International Law; *International Relations; Programing (Broadcast); *Treaties; World Affairs IDENTIFIERS United States; *USSR ABSTRACT The (USSR) is a different place from what it was two years ago. The essential nature of these differences is, however, not obvious and the picture remains mixed. Recent developments involving political prisoners, freedom to travel and emigrate, broadcast jamming, and Czechoslovak relations seem to indicate that the Soviet society is at a turning point. It will be apparent whether Soviet society will turn in a positive direction only when predictions become reality, when promises become performance, when gestures become practices, when episodes become patterns, and when isolated steps become a long march. In the view of the United States, implementation is the key element in the entire process. New proposals can be an incentive to implementation; they must not be a substitute for it. In that spirit, the United States and 16 other Western countries have, during the past two weeks, introduced 16 proposals covering the entire human dimension of the Helsinki Final Act. They are focused a single objective: implementation. (BZ)

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Current Policy The Evolving Soviet No. 929 Approach to Human Rights

United States Department of State Bureau of Public Affairs Washington, D.C.

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Following are addl-esses by Ambassador Second, the Soviet press describes remain incarcerated, some in serious Warren Zi m inerin o nn Cho irm a n of the what haq, heretofore, seemed a con- physical condition. And yet, these U.S. delegation. before the Conference on tradiction in terms: the arrest of a KGB monitors make up only a small percent- Security and Cooperation in Europe official for abuse of his official duties. age of the political prisoners in the (CSCE) followup meeting. Vienna. Third. Soviet cultural authorities are Soviet Union. Other human rights A ustria. On Januanj 27 a nd Febru- coming to realize that the greatness of monitors, such as those connected with ary 20. 1987. Russian culture does not stop at the the human rights journal, The Chronicle border. It is reported that the Kirov of Current Events, and those who fought ballet star, Mikhail Baryshnikov, cur- for genuine trade union rights, are JANUARY 27, 1987 rently in New York, and the former similarly imprisoned. director of the innovative Taganka Will another Marchenko die in deten- Over 5 weeks have passed since our last Theater, Yuriy Lyubimov, currently in tion? Will it be Anatoliy Koryagin, the plenary meeting in Vienna. It is, thus, a Washington, have been or will be invited courageous psychiatrist who spoke out good time to take stock, to record what to perform again in the Soviet Union. against the abuses of psychiatry and has has happened in the intervening period, These examples make an important been weakened by hunger strikes? Will it and to assess its meaning for the obliga- be Iosif Begun, a scientist who has tions undertaken at Helsinki and Madrid.pointthat the Soviet Union is a dif- ferent place from what it was 2 years already served 9 years for his efforts to I begin with a candid assertion: it is preserve the Jewish culture and the idle to assume that significant develop ago. But how different? Is what are seeing superficial or profound? Is it the Hebrew language? Both are now con- ments are not unfolding within the fined to Chistopol Prison,' where Soviet Union. reality, or just the appearance, of change? The answer is not obvious. The Marchenko died. All here have noted First, we see a country which seems picture remains mixed. Based on events Andrey Sakharov's appeal for the to be trying to come to grips with its of the past 5 weeks, let me describe that release of all political prisoners in the past. It is reported that a Georgian film picture as I see it today. Soviet Union, and we have also noted depicting the evils of Stalinism will soon Ambassador Kashlev's hints to the New be shown to the public. It is reported York Time.s that there might be a that Boris Pasternalc's Dr. Zhivago will Recent Developments in the response. May it be soon, may it be all- soon be published in one of the few coun-Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc inclusive, and may it be untrammeled by tries in which it is banned: his own. And Political Prisoners. In my statement at limits and restrictions which could it is also reported that Pasternak's the end of the first round of the Vienna vitiate its effect. chousethe house where that great novel meeting, I expressed concern that In the period since this meeting was written and where Pasternak's , who had been con- recessed, the existence of a new Helsinki '...... friend, Svyatoslav Rikhter, played the victed six times for his work on behalf of Monitoring Group in the Soviet Union piano from dusk till dawn in homage on his fellow Crimean Tatars, would be has been confirmed. Calling itself ...0the day he diedwill soon be opened as aresentenced. I am glad to note that "Helsinki 86," it was formed last sum- museum. We hope these reports prove toDzhemilev has since been released. But mer in the city of Liepaja in Latvia and be true because they appear to representthe fate of most other political prisoners an effort to return to the Soviet people a in the Soviet Union remains the same. 'Koryagin and Begun were subsequently 0priceless gift: their own history. With the death of Anatoliy Mar- released on February 18 and February 20, chenko, over 35 Helsinki monitors 1987. respectively.

BEST COPYAVAILABLE has appealed to Pope John Paul II, to Why does the problem of leaving the Kafkaesque quality of this story can only General Secretary Gorbachev, to the Soviet Union exist at all? Why do the make one wonder how much has really Soviet and Latvian Communist Party authorities regard people who, for one reason changed in the Soviet Union. Central Committees, to the United or another, want to leave the Soviet Union, as The end of the year 1986 set a virtual traitors? Why can't citizens of the record of sorts in the field of Jewish Nations, to the American delegates at U.S.S.R. leave their country and return to it the September 1986 Chautauqua con- without hindrance? emigration from the Soviet Union. Those ference in Latvia, and to Latvian "coun- allowed to emigrate numbered fewer trymen in foreign lands." The signers of Why, indeed? than 1,000under 100 a month, the the letter to Mr. Gorbachev said, "We In the area of family reunification, lowest figure since accurate statistics want to believe you that you will build a there has been some i_,..ogress. Of the have been kept. The new Soviet legisla- foundation for a democracy. Everyone American cases announced by Ambas- tion, which took effect January 1, shows will benefit from that, and there will not sador Kashlev in Bern, three-quarters no sign of alleviating this crisis in be any losers." Three of those signers have been resolved, although it remains emigration and may even exacerbate it. have been reported arrested. The forma- a mystery why one-quarter of them are The law is inherently restrictive, limiting tion, for the first time, of an indepen- still unresolved after 9 months. During the right to leave to those with close dent Latvian Helsinki Monitoring Group the Vienna recess, favorable decisions family abroad, and so far, it seems to be proves again the dictum of the British were made in several cases, and hints being applied restrictively. Applications historian, Lord Acton, that "progress in were made about several more. So far, for exit visas, which were previously at the direction of organized and assur.:d the hints outnumber the decisions. We least accepted, are now being refused. fail to see why the issues of divided freedom is the characteristic fact of Modern Broadcast Jamming. Finally, in the History." spouses and blocked marriages cannot be settled once and for all. The numbers arearea of information, the BBC [British Freedom to Travel and Emigrate. not large, but the human cost is heavy. Broadcasting Corporation] Russ'an serv- In early January, 50 Soviet emigrants For example, Yuriy Balovlenkov, whose ice has, for the last few days, reached were permitted by the Soviet authorities wife lives in Baltimore, Maryland, has the Soviet Union unjammed. We hope to return from the United States to the now been separated from her for 8 that this is the harbinger of a trend and Soviet Union, many after several years years; he has never seen his younger that the Soviet Union will finally of trying. It is understandable that the child. recognize the illegality of jamming by move from Sovie 'o American culture Many in this room have appealed for keeping the jammers off the BBC per- cultures based on such different Soviet action to enable several Soviet manently and taking them and keeping principlescould cause serious problems citizens suffering from cancer to seek them off the Voice of America, Radio of adjustment. If, as the Soviet Foreign treatment in the West. Fortunately, Liberty, Radio Free Europe, Deutsche Ministry spokesman has said, there are a those appeals seem to have been heard. Welle, and the other stations prevented thousand more in the United States who Of the five cancer victims frequently from reaching the Soviet people. desire to return, then we can only hope named, three have been allowed to leave, Czechoslovak Developments. A con- that the Soviet Union will abandon its and we understand that a fourth, Leah stant concern during our Vienna meeting former practice of treating them as Maryasin, has exit permission. A fifth, has been the fate of the members of pariahs and will permit them to exercise Benjamin Charny, is in urgent need of Charter '77 and of the Jazz Section in their right, guaranteed by the Final Act, help andalthough he has a close Czechoslovakia. Fortunately, in the past to leave their country and return to it. relative, a brother, in the United several weeks, five members of the Jazz After all, a few thousand emigrants Stateshe rem2ins in the Soviet Union Section have been released from deten- desiring to return constitute less than against his will. tion. Two, however, remain in prison, 1% of the 400,000 who have left the I will refer to one of those cases, in and apparently some variety of trial Soviet Union in the last decade and a particular, because it illustrates a awaits all seven. Thus Czechoslovakia's half. We must hope, as well, that the disturbing paradox in Soviet conduct. obligations under the Final Act remain Soviet Government will honor its obliga- Inna Meiman arrived in Washington squarely at issue in this sorrowful affair. tions to allow foreign citizens in the 8 days ago; she suffers from cancer of Soviet Union to return to their the spine, a condition whose extreme countriesAbe Stolar, for example: an seriousness was confirmed last week by kconclusive Eviernce American in his 70s who has been trying the Georgetown University Hospital. In closing, let me return to the questions for decades to return his family from Unbelievably, Mrs. Meiman was not with which I bc:7an. We have heard to the United States. allowed to be accompanied by her son, predictions and promises from Soviet On a related issue, I referred earlier Lev Kittroskiy, and his family or by her officialson a culttlral renaissance, on in my remarks to efforts appal ently husband, . Naum Meiman the release of politica? prisoners, on underway to bring back to the Soviet is a 75-year-old man, a retired mathema- genuine openness. They seem to be tell- Union cultural figures who had left it. tician, and a former Helsinki monitor. ing us that Soviet society is at a turning Why not go further and respect their He has congestive heart failure and quitepoint. But will it turn? The evidence is right to leave in the first place and the possibly stiffers from cancer himself. He not conclusive. right of others to leave as well? Last also has an American citizen daughter We will know whether Soviet society December, I cited the case of Vladimir living in the United States, a fact that will turn in a positive direction only Feltsman, a brilliant young pianist, qualifies him for emigration even under when predictions become reality, when whose application to emigrate 7 years the most restrictive interpretation of the promises become performance, when ago has cost him the right to perform his new Soviet legislation. The reason given gestures become practices, when musical art in the Soviet Union. Last for his many visa denials is that he did episodes become patterns, when isolated year, in a letter to General Secretary classified work 30 years ago; for that steps become a long march. Only then Gorbachev, Feltsman asked: "reason," an old, sick man is not permit- will we know. ted to join a suffering wife and a daughter in the United States. The

.1 C..- := 2 F'EBRUARY 20, 1987 Since our 35 delegations first of note. At present, however, they assembled in Vienna, we have witnessed remain simply assertions and promises. l'he Vienna meeting has just moved into the following positive actions: In the catalogue of constructive actions, I have not referred to the new stage. From agenda item five, , the noted which encompassed a review of Orthodox Christian poet, was released reverse side of this progressto its par- mplementation and the examination of tial nature, to paralld actions which )roposals, we have now passed on to from prison and allowed to emigrate to undercut it, to the fact that so much igenda item eight, which foresees draft- the West. remains to be done to bring the Soviet ng of a concluding document. According Of the five cancer victims about Union into compliance with its obliga- :o the text of agenda item eight, such whom many of us spoke, three were tions-. There win no doubt be a need to irafting will include decisions relating to finally permitted to seek medical treat- return to these persistent problems in :he above-mentioned items. Those items ment in the West and a fourth has exit the near future. The point I want to nclude, of course, implementation permission. Others desiring to emigrate make now is that certain positive trends -eview and examination of new pro- for humanitarian reasons, such as are visible in the Soviet Union. We )osalstwo subjects which, therefore, Dr. David Goldfarb, have been allowed recognize them, we welcome them; we to depart. encourage them. .emain cleady within the competence of Of the American divided family :his new stage of our meeting. In fact it cases which the Soviet government 2ould hardly be otherwise, since our con- promised at. Bern to resolve, some three- Implementation and New Proposals :luding document must refer to both quarters have now been successfully mplementation and to new proposals. resoh,ed. General Secretary Gorbachev, in his As we enter this new stage, it is, address last Thursday, denied that the There has been progress in bring- new Soviet approach on humanitarian :hus, entirely appropriate, with a view to ing divided spouses together; 18 of the irafting, to take stock of progress that 28 cases on record at the time of the problems is the result of Western N as made in implementation of Helsinki pressure. Rather, he said, it is the result tnd Madrid obligations and proposals Geneva summit have now been settled. of a new way of thinking. It is not for 'la were introduced to improve such Nearly 100 former Soviet citizens this meeting to analyze the motivation mplementation. I intend to do so today have received permission to return per- for the actions we have observed; Lilr Ind in the future as well. manently to the Soviet Union. Dr. Andrey Sakharov has been interest is in deeds, not motives. But it allowed to return to an unfettered life in would be a welcome fact if these actions Positive Trends Moscow, and his wife, , are, indeed, the result of a new way of Ln the Soviet Union thinking, since that means they should has been pardoned and also allowed to be followed by more comprehensive and [n my first statement to this Vienna return to Moscow from exile. MUT significant actions to comply with -neeting, I referred to violations of the Mustafa Dzhemilev, an activist on commitments. -iuman rights provisions of the Helsinki behalf of his fellow Crimean Tatars, was There is a necessary connection Final Act. I said that these violations released from prison. between implementation and new pro- -nust be reversed because they are a Significant new initiatives in the posals. In the view of the United States, :hreat to the Helsinki process and area of culture, particularly in the implementation is the key element in the Rcause they will make b.. impossible for publication of previously banned books entire Helsinki process. New proposals .he violating states to have the kind of and the release of previously censored are valuable insofar as they underline lialogue and relationship which they pro-films, have been launched. this vital principle. New proposals can be 'ess to want with their Western Jamming has ceased on the BBC an incentive to implementation; they -ieighbors. And I stated that positive Russian service. must not be a substitute for it. Iction to reverse violations will find a Finally, a number of prisoners of con- In that spirit, the United States and )ositive response from the American science have been released from deten- 16 other Western countries have, during )eople and from the American tion. So far, we can document about 35 the past two weeks, introduced 16 pro- 3overnment. who have actually returned, including 10 posals covering the entire human dimen- Since the Vienna meeting began, the individuals whom the U.S. delegation has mentioned at the Vienna meeting. sion of the Helsinki Final Act. They 3oviet Union and some of its allies have Andrey Sakharov believes that the total constitute the most comprehensive set of :ontinued to violate important dements number is about 60. proposals on the human dimension ever )f their Helsinki and Madrid obligations put forward at a CSCE followup Ind have even committed new violations. There is another categorya meeting. And they are focused on a ['hese have been described by the category of assertions and promises single objective: implementation. American delegation and many other which at least offers a potential for Fourteen of these proposals are lelegations. Today, I want to recognize, positive results. For example, Soviet textualthat is, they describe obliga- with equal openness, that there has been officials have announced that 142 tions which could become part of the some progress toward improved com- political prisoners have been released final document of this meeting. They )liance with commitments. In Poland, and that others will follow. Massive cover virtually all the major human .he release of nearly an political changes in the penal code have been dements of the final act: freedom of )risoners, together with other positive promised. It is also asserted that the thought, conscience, religion, or belief; steps, has caused the U.S. Government new legislation on entry/exit will national minorities; the contribution of .o review and to lift its economic liberalize emigration, although the individuals and groups to the Hekinki sanctions. And in the Soviet Union, restrictive text of the legislation and the process; persons in confinement; some fresh winds have begun to blow. initial use of it imply the reverse. If freedom of movement; human contacts; these potential steps forward are information; culture; and education. In actually taken, they, too, will be worthy

4 addition, two followup proposalsone a from the problems and issues discussed would require all states to live up to multifaceted conference on the human during the implementation phase of our commitments which they Mtve under- dimension, the other an information Vienna meeting. They represent no taken of their own free will. CI forum which would involve working threat to any states devoted to a new journalistsare a means of extending way of thinking about human issues. On Published by the United States Department our focus on the human dimension the contrary, they offer a test of the of StateBureau of Pub lie AffaiN beyond this Vienna mee ng. extent to which these states are Office of Public CommunicationEditorial These proposals build upon our preoared to put new thinking into prac- DivisionWashington. D.C.April 1987 experience in Ottawa, Budapest, and tice. They would not undermine the Editor: Cynthia SaboeThis material is in political system of any state, but they thepublic domain and may be reproduced Bern, reflPrg the best ideas from without permission; citatkm of this source is these meetings. They also spring directly appreciated.

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