Sixteen leading Jewish activists in the Soviet Union have laid down what they think should be the conditions for American participation in the human rights conference that is to be held in Moscow in 1991.
The United States has signed the Vienna Document, which designates the USSR as host nation of the conference.
The 16 stated their views in a letter to President George Bush. They also wrote to the heads of government of the other 34 counties that participated in the Vienna Conference on Cooperation and Security in Europe.
The original letter, dated Jan. 18, was received by Pamela Cohen, president of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews, who forwarded it to the White House.
The signatories listed the criteria for matching Soviet performance with promises in the area of emigration and cultural rights for Jews.
They include “a law on emigration in accordance with Soviet international obligations” and official recognition and legalization of all independent Jewish cultural and religious organizations and groups.
The Soviet undertakings also must include release of all refuseniks and freedom of action for Soviet Jews against anti-Semitism and anti-Israel propaganda, the letter says.
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.
