The National Conference on Soviet Jewry released today a telegram it received from President Ford declaring that he has continually sought to impress upon the Soviet Union American support for the right of Soviet Jews to emigrate and to have freedom of speech.
Ford said that when Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger met with Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin last week he directed the Secretary “to underscore our concern in this specific instance and to stress the importance that we as a people attach to the need for respect of human rights.”
In his telegram which was addressed to Eugene Gold, chairman of the NCSJ, Ford said, “I greatly appreciate your recent inquiries and I fully share the concern you have expressed for the Soviet Jews petitioning for their right to emigrate. Together with all Americans, attach the highest importance to the right of people everywhere to exercise fundamental rights, including the rights of freedom of speech and freedom of emigration.”
RESULT OF RESPONSIBLE DIPLOMACY
After noting his direction to Kissinger, Ford said that “As President, since the day I took office, I have impressed upon governments everywhere, including the Soviet government, the importance we attach to these issues. The results of this responsible diplomacy have been decidedly positive.
“We will continue at all levels to impress upon the Soviet government–and other governments as well–the importance the American people attach to humanitarian rights. We shall do so vigorously and responsibly, as befits an issue of such importance.”
Ford’s telegram was in response to a request from the NCSJ for comments from Ford and his Democratic opponent Jimmy Carter after 12 Jewish activists were beaten by Soviet police following a sit-in at the Supreme Soviet in Moscow. Ford made no direct mention in his telegram of the beatings. However, Carter in his response on Oct. 21 said he was outraged at the beatings and sent a telegram to the American Embassy in Moscow for delivery to Vladimir Slepak, a veteran “refusnik” who was one of those beaten.
Gold, commenting on Ford’s telegram said, “I am pleased with President Ford’s response to our appeal concerning the recent incidents in the Soviet Union. As evidenced by Governor Carter’s previous intervention, support for Soviet Jewry is clearly a non-partisan issue.”
ACTIONS IN U.S., CANADA
Meanwhile. Gov. Hugh Carey of New York send Dobrynin a telegram expressing the concern of New Yorkers “at the odious ways in which the Soviet Union has chosen to respond to the rightful demands of its citizens.” He called on the USSR to allow Jews to emigrate.
In a related development, Stuart Wurtman, president of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews, said that demonstrations protesting the arrest and beatings of Jews in Moscow were held by UCSJ groups in Miami Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit. San Francisco, Washington, Alabama. Long Island (NY), Chicago and Cleveland.
In Montreal, some 3000 Jewish school children and adults demonstrated today against the treatment of Soviet Jews. The demonstration began in Dominion Square in the center of the city and then marched for a half-hour to the Soviet Consulate. A telephone call was placed to Mark Azbel, one of the leading Moscow dissidents, and he could hear the demonstration outside the Consulate, including the sounding of the shofar and the recitation of Psalms. The demonstration was sponsored by the Montreal Committee for Soviet Jewry and the Montreal Group of 35.
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.
