The massive rally in support of Soviet Jewry scheduled Sunday for the National Mall is an “impressive” way to demonstrate to the Soviet Union the concern of Americans for this issue, a senior Reagan administration official said Monday.
“These people are demonstrating on behalf of a cause with which this administration, this country. . . are deeply committed,” the official said in briefing reporters on next week’s summit meeting here between President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
Rejecting a suggestion that the demonstration might put a “cloud” over the summit, the official said that instead he expected “it to put a spotlight on this issue.”
Jews from all over the country are planning to come here for the Washington mobilization. The official said he expects the demonstration to be “dignified, orderly, but a very impressive demonstration of concern” which is how it will be explained to the Soviets.
“Human rights is going to figure prominently during the summit,” a second official at the White House briefing stressed. “It is something the president of the United States cares very deeply about.”
But, he said, the administration does not expect any “breakthroughs” on human rights to come at the summit, although they would be very welcome.
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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.
