Soviet Poet Yevtushenko Invited to Visit Israel; Gives Vague Reply

Yevgeny Yevtushenko, the famous Soviet poet and author of the poem “Babi Yar,” which alluded to the mass grave in the Kiev suburb where many thousands of Jews were machine gunned by the Nazis, received here today an official invitation to visit Israel.

The invitation was handed to the poet at the Israeli Embassy here by the cultural attache, David Catarivas. It was signed by the president of the Israeli Authors Association. Mr. Yevtushenko said that, while he was ready to visit Israel, he had a crowded schedule for his current visit abroad, and was unable to make definite plans for such a visit.

Last week, during a press conference here, the poet told newsmen, in answer to inquiries, that, in regard to visiting Israel, he was waiting “for an official invitation first.” Today, he told Mr. Catarivas that he is scheduled to visit a dozen European countries as well as Cuba in the next few months. “Thus,” he said, “I am unable to make definite plans. Basically, I accept the invitation, but practical plans must still wait.”

Meanwhile, today, the influential French evening newspaper, Le Monde, printed a long article on its political page, discussing the attitude of Soviet authorities toward the Jews in the USSR. While the article brought no new facts to public attention, its very tone and position in Le Monde was seen as an illustration of continued concern in the entire subject among French intellectuals, including left-wingers.

“The Russian authorities,” stated Le Monde, “who are usually efficient in reprimanding any deviation from official Marxist doctrine, have not shown any determination in fighting anti-Semitism.” The newspaper pointed out that the “normal practice” in Russia leads to the dismissal of any editor who commits a serious error. Le Monde noted, however, that the editor of a Communist newspaper in Dagestan, who raised the canard about alleged Jewish ritual murder, “was not subjected to a similar measure.”