Reagan’s Warning to Rumania on Jewish Emigration Hailed

President Reagan’s stern warning to the Rumanian government that it must significantly improve its emigration procedures for Jews seeking to go to Israel or face the loss of most favored nation (MFN) trade status with the U.S., was hailed as a “breakthrough” by a Jewish emigration activist today.

But Dr. Jacob Bimbaum, national director of the Center for Russian and East European Jewry here, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that a major struggle is shaping up in Congress on this issue. He urged American Jews to support members of both houses who are seeking to block the extension of MFN to Rumania for another year because of the Bucharest government’s treatment of ethnic and religious minorities which include Baptists, Pentecostals, Orthodox and other religious groups as well as Jews.

Letters of protest to President Nicolae Ceausescu of Rumania are currently being circulated in the Senate by Sens. Daniel Moynihan (D.NY) and William Armstrong (R.Colo.) and in the House by Reps. Stephen Solarz (D.NY) and Robert Dornan (R.Calif.).

MFN EXTENSION RECOMMENDED

Reagan, despite his strongly worded criticism of Rumania’s emigration policies and procedures, has recommended to Congress that MFN status be extended to Rumania for another year. Under the 1974 Trade Reform Act which incorporates the Jackson/ Vanik Amendment, Congress can vote preferred trade status for Communist bloc countries only after the President determines that they have open emigration policies. House hearings on the matter are expected to begin this month. The Senate will hold hearings in July.

Reagan, in his message to Congress yesterday, declared that he was “gravely concerned about the Rumanian government’s failure to improve its repressive emigration procedures and the significant decrease in Rumanian Jewish emigration to Israel which is disturbing.” Reagan’s message noted that “This emigration has dropped from an annual rate of some 4000 prior to the 1975 extension of MFN to Rumania to the current (1981) law level of 952. Furthermore, contrary to the 1979 agreement with American Jewish leaders, Rumania continues to maintain a considerable backlog of long-standing emigration cases. This backlog at present involves at least 652 cases,” Reagan said.

He added that “Also contrary to the 1979 agreement, the Rumanian government has not improved its emigration procedures. The process is cumbersome and plagued with obstacles for those who merely wish to obtain emigration application forms. All of these factors demonstrate Rumania’s negative emigration policy which clearly contravenes the text and purpose of the Jackson/Vanik Amendment.”

‘STRONG LETTER’ EXPECTED

Reagan noted that “in waiving the prohibition of MFN renewal for Rumania this year, I have weighed the above factors within the context of the satisfactory state of general U.S. Rumanian relations. However, I intend to inform the Rumanian government that unless a noticeable improvement in its emigration procedures takes place and the rate of Jewish emigration to Israel increases significantly, Rumania’s MFN renewal for 1983 will be in serious jeopardy.”

Birnbaum told the JTA that a “high White House source” informed him that “The Administration will now be sending a very strong letter to the Rumanian government.” He said the Center for Russian and European Jewry “heartily applauds” Reagan’s message. He said however that the backlog of emigration applications in Rumania was “well over 1000” rather than the 652 figure cited by the President.

Birnbaum called on American Jewish leaders to “insist that the Rumanian government raise the flow of Jewish emigration to the rate current before Rumania obtained MFN in 1975, i.e. 3000-4000 per annum”, and that it reduce to less than six months the application procedure for emigration.