Jewish sources in the Soviet Union reported today that Jewish activists are worried over the unexpected visit to the USSR by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ismail Fahmy and War Minister Abdel Gamassi. The activists feel that Fahmy will discuss the issue of Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union to Israel in view of his statement two weeks ago that Israel should freeze its current population and suspend immigration for 50 years.
The two Egyptians, who arrived in Moscow today for what is believed to be discussions and arrangements for Soviet Communist Party Secretary Leonid I. Brezhnev’s visit to Cairo next month, came to the Soviet capital two days after Brezhnev sent what was described in Cairo as “urgent message” to Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
HITCH IN BREZHNEV-SADAT TALKS?
There was some speculation that the ministers’ visit indicates that some hitch has developed in plans for the Brezhnev-Sadat talks or in the preparation of agreements they were expected to sign. The agreements included possible Soviet arms supplies to Egypt. Observers noted that Brezhnev’s visit to Cairo, which had been given a steady build-up earlier this month, has not been mentioned in either Pravda or Tass in recent days.
Soviet Jewish activists noted that while Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko rejected any Soviet understanding on linking U.S.-USSR trade with emigration, and that the Soviet Union would consider such linkage as interference in her internal affairs, Russia has never flatly denied that such an understanding had been reached between Gromyko and Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger.
One factor in the Gromyko denial, as reported by Tass, was seen as an effort to placate the Arabs. The situation, therefore, according to Jewish sources, remains uncertain since giving in to Fahmy and Sadat on the issue of emigration would be tantamount to letting them interfere in the Soviet Union’s internal affairs at a time when Kissinger and President Ford have been advised not to do so. Attempts to persuade prospective applicants to refrain from applying for exit visas continue throughout the USSR, the sources reported.
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