Dr. Henry Kissinger said today the United States government will continue discussions with-Soviet leaders “on some of the problems” related to the Soviet emigration policy, that has concerned overwhelming majorities in both houses of Congress. However, President Nixon’s foreign policy advisor did not identify the problems in expressing hope that the Congress in time will approve the most favored nation trade treatment to the Soviet Union. He leaves tonight for Moscow for four days of meetings with Soviet leaders.
Dr. Kissinger, commenting on MFN in response to a question from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency at a White House news conference, said:
“We have made very clear and I repeat it here that the Administration is strongly supporting the provisions in the trade bill that would enable the President to grant MFN to the Soviet Union. It is the President’s intention, and if the provision is approved, to grant if to the Soviet Union. It is furthermore the belief of this Administration that the issue of MFN for the Soviet Union is part of the whole fabric of our negotiation with the Soviet Union over a period of two years and should not be separated as an issue to be addressed in isolation.
“And finally we believe that the exchanges that took place between the Soviet leadership and the President on the issue of the exit visas substantially meets the concerns that were expressed by many of the signers of these resolutions. Wehope that as the Congress studies the problem in the entire range, and as we continue our discussions with some of the problems that give rise to these concerns, that by the time the Congress votes on MFN it will see matters in the same light.”
In Nixon’s report on Soviet relations, which was included in his annual report on foreign policy-prescribed today to Congress, MFN is mentioned but without referring to emigration. The report says: “Extension of MFN is a logical and natural step in the emerging relationship. It is not a unilateral concession but a means to expand commerce in the context of broadly improved relations.”
In his section on the United Nations, the President referred to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as guiding “our actions in the UN to ease the plight of those whose basic rights have been denied.” Continuing, the section stated: “Our commitment to the basic rights of freedom of movement has caused us to speak out in the United Nations against restrictions on the right to emigrate.” The item does not mention the Soviet Union. (See separate stories on Nixon’s report,)
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
