French Socialist leaders today admitted that they failed completely in their efforts during a visit last week to Russia to induce Premier Khrushchev and other Soviet leaders to change their attitude on the question of Soviet Jewry and on Israel and the Middle East.
Reporting at a press conference on their discussions with Soviet leaders on the situation of Russian Jewry, Professor Quillot said the French delegation was told that no anti-Jewish discrimination exists in the Soviet Union and that the Soviet authorities were considering terminating the use of the term “Jew” which now appears on passports of Soviet Jews. He noted that Soviet officials looked with suspicion on all Zionist movements.
Former Premier Guy Mollet admitted that the delegation found a “total difference on approach and appreciation between ourselves and the Soviets on possible solutions to existing conflicts” in the Middle East. “When we raised the problem of limiting and controlling the armament supply to the whole of the Middle East and the creation of a denuclearized zone in the area, the Soviet leaders denied that dangers to peace exist there,” M. Mollet declared.
Another member of the delegation said that the Soviet leaders said they considered Israel “an aggressor state” and that Premier Khrushchev seemed skeptical of any proposals for neutralization of the Middle East.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
