Nixon Denounces Jackson Amendment; Links Detente with Mideast Peace Hopes

President Nixon today denounced the Jackson Amendment in the strongest terms he has yet publicly used on the Soviet emigration issue and also pledged continued U.S. efforts toward “a permanent peace” in the Middle East in a full dress foreign policy review.

Outlining what he described as “America’s strategy for peace” Nixon emphasized U.S. relations with the Soviet Union and achievements in the Middle East in addressing the graduating class at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis.

His remarks were immediately interpreted here as diplomatic blandishments preparatory for his visits to four Arab states and Israel beginning Monday and his trip to Moscow beginning June 27 for his third Soviet-American summit conference.

VANIK SCORES REMARKS

Rep. Charles A. Vanik (D.Ohio) who with Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D.Wash.) and Rep. Wilbur Mills (D.Ark.) has been a prime sponsor of the legislation tying U.S. trade benefits and credits to the Soviet Union to amelioration of Soviet emigration policy, scored Nixon’s latest remarks as “not responsive” to the views of Congress.

The President’s denunciation of “eloquent appeals” for Soviet policy changes in emigration also came at a time when Soviet Jewish emigration has fallen this year by more than one third below the monthly average of the two previous years and harassment of Soviet Jews has risen sharply in the Soviet Union together with the growth of anti-Semitism in the Soviet media. The National Conference on Soviet Jewry, in emergency session here two days ago, announced it would appeal to President Nixon to seek to intercede for Soviet policy change when he goes to Moscow.

In his speech, the President tied the Soviet Union and the Middle East situations, declaring “The tension” that led to four wars made that area “a world tinderbox that could easily draw the United States and the Soviet Union into military confrontation.” Last October’s war “while tragic.” he said, also presented “a unique opportunity” because “for the first time it was clear to us and clear to the moderate leaders of the Arab world that a positive American role was indispensable to achieving a permanent settlement in the Middle East.” The military disengagements on the Egyptian and Syrian fronts, he said in praising Secretary of State Henry A, Kissinger, removed “an insurmountable roadblock” on the road to a “just and lasting peace” that “is still long and difficult.”

“My trip to the Middle East next week.” Nixon said, “will provide an opportunity to explore with the leaders of the nations I shall visit ways in which we can continue our progress toward permanent peace in the area.”

PRAISES ‘QUIET DIPLOMACY’

Reasserting his often expressed position of “quiet diplomacy” on the emigration Issue, Nixon said. “We continue to adhere firmly to certain humane principles not only in appropriate international forums but also in our private exchanges with other governments–where this can be effective. We are more faithful to our ideals by being concerned with results and we achieve more results through diplomatic action than through hundreds of eloquent speeches.” he declared. “We would not welcome the intervention of other countries in our domestic affairs and we cannot expect them to be cooperative when we seek to intervene directly in theirs.” he added. “We cannot gear our foreign policy to transformation of other societies. In the nuclear age our first responsibility must be the prevention of a war that could destroy all societies.”

Congressman Vanik in a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency said that “President Nixon should speak more forcefully about the rights of Soviet citizens wishing to emigrate and wishing to live in peace without harassment in his upcoming trade talks with the Russian leaders. Our used for trade is not so great that we can overlook the heartlessness of a nation towards its own citizens.” Vanik noted that “Congress for several years has sought to impress upon the Soviet Union what we consider to be the immorality and illegality of its treatment of its Jewish citizens. Neither the Soviets nor the President has been responsive to those efforts.”

The House by an overwhelming majority has adopted the Jackson/Mills-Vanik legislation. The proposal is in the Senate Finance Committee awaiting action. Seventy-eight Senators have sponsored it. (By Joseph Polakoff)