Representatives of Jewish, Israel Press Barred from Kozlov Conference

Soviet First Deputy Premier Frol Kozlov returned to New York today from a tour throughout the United States and held a press conference at the headquarters of the Soviet delegation to the United Nations to which no representative of the Jewish and Israeli press was invited. Entrance to the conference was by invitation cards only.

Representatives of the general press, however, did not fail to ask Mr. Kozlov why Jewish culture is being suppressed in the Soviet Union and why synagogues are being closed down at a time when religious institutions of other nationalities in the USSR are permitted to function freely. The Soviet Deputy Premier avoided giving a reply to the question on the ban of Jewish culture, and reiterated his denial of last week that synagogues are being liquidated in his country.

During his stay in Chicago, Mr. Kozlov visited the International Trade Fair there, but carefully avoided the Israeli pavilion there. On the other hand, he stopped at the Egyptian exhibit to chat and to be photographed examining products made in Egypt.

In Pittsburgh, Mr. Kozlov was taken by Vice Admiral Hyman G. Rick over on a comprehensive tour of the nearby atomic power station. At the plant, Adm. Rickover, who is director of the naval reactors there, asked Mr. Kozlov whether he thought that he, Rickover, could be elected to office in the Soviet Union. This was a reference to Adm, Rickover’s Jewish background.

“Certainly,” Mr. Kozlov replied. “You would be president or vice-president of the Academy of Sciences in our country. Members of the Academy of Sciences get the highest salary.” Adm. Rickover then asked the Soviet Deputy Premier if money was the most important consideration. Mr. Kozlov did not reply.