Several Senators and Congressmen are now considering a move to block trade legislation needed by the Nixon administration to conclude agreements with Moscow, unless the Soviet Union rescinds exit fees for Jews wishing to emigrate from the Soviet Union.
Those concerned over the new fees want to make clear to the Russians and the administration that Congress will not provide most-favored-nation tariff treatment or investment guarantees for the Soviet Union as long as it continues to demand the exit fees, The sources claim that in the aftermath of the Munich killings there is considerable anti-Soviet feeling among the nation’s legislators.
Several means of making clear the link between trade and the exit fees are currently being considered. One method would be to pass a resolution stating that no legislation would be approved unless the fees were cancelled. Senate sources suggested. Another would be to enjoin Secretary of Commerce Peter G. Peterson from conducting any further trade negotiation until the fees are dropped.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
