House Committee Urged to Withhold Mfn to Rumania Until Emigration Eases

Two Jewish leaders asked a House subcommittee today to withhold “most favored nation” trade status for Rumania, which has been requested by President Ford, until the Rumanian government demonstrates “convincingly that it is moving toward freer emigration.”

Rabbi Israel Miller, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and David M. Blumberg, president of B’nai B’rith claimed, in testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee’s subcommittee on trade, that Jewish emigration from Rumania had diminished to less than 100 a month although “many thousands” of Rumania’s estimated 100,000 Jews have “signified a desire to emigrate.”

Three Administration spokesmen–Assistant Secretary of State Arthur A. Hartman, Undersecretary of Commerce John K. Tabor, and Ambassador Frederick B. Dent, White House special representative for trade negotiations–appeared before the subcommittee today to urge early approval of the trade agreement with Rumania.

Hartman, responding to questions from subcommittee chairman William Green (D.Pa.) conceded that the present emigration rate from Rumania was negligible and as such was not in compliance with the requirements of the 1974 Trade Act. But he said he anticipated “substantial improvement” and offered assurances that the Administration “will not accept a static trend” as compliance.

PRACTICES MUST CHANGE SUBSTANTIALLY

Miller and Blumberg, in a joint statement to the subcommittee said, “Regretfully, but with respectful firmness” that they opposed the White House request that Rumania be granted concessions under the 1974 Act with waiver of the Jackson Vanik amendment. The legislation permits waiver when the President has “assurances” that a “favored” nation will “substantially” liberalize its emigration policies.

“If the Jackson-Vanik amendment means anything–and we insist that it means a great deal–it means that Rumanian emigration practices must change substantially for the better, not the worse,” the statement said. They suggested that the House postpone a decision on the trade agreement until just before the statutory limit of 60 days for Congressional action expires, during which Rumania could demonstrate its willingness to accelerate emigration.

The two Jewish spokesmen conceded that Rumania made “commendable efforts” in the past to normalize relations with Israel and other nations outside the Soviet bloc, but that in contrast to liberalized practices of earlier years, its emigration policies are now “cause for concern and disquiet.”

Rumania is the only Communist bloc country to have normal diplomatic and trade relations with Israel and to frequently exchange visits with that country on the ministerial level, Israeli Foreign Minister Yigal Allon is due to make an official visit to Rumania later this month.