U.S. Does Not Consider Dissident Spies Swap As Equal Parts in a Trade

The United States said yesterday it does not consider the five Soviet dissidents who came to the U.S. last Friday and the two Soviet spies who returned to the Soviet Union as being equal parts in a trade. At the same time, the Carter Administration has made known that the most favored nation treatment is under "general review" although it has not yet reached a point where it can offer conclusions on whether such treatment will be given the Soviets.

These points emerged at the State Department where its chief spokesman, Hodding Carter, was questioned about the latest developments in Soviet-American relations stemming from Friday’s surprise announcement of the trade-off in prisoners. Carter was asked whether the Administration is concerned that it has swapped political dissidents for spies and thus in effect was equating the two groups.

"This was a specific case and a specific objective was reached," Carter replied. "I would not offer you any general conclusions about such equations except we don’t equate the two at all."

Asked whether the U.S. considers the release of the dissidents as "window dressing" for a Soviet-American summit on weaponry or a change in Soviet attitude, Carter said: "It is significant in and of itself. It is important that five people no longer are in prison and are indeed free. Our concern extends beyond these people. We have made that evident in the past. It is true today." He added that "there are clearly other people about whom we have spoken privately as well as publicly."

When Carter was asked specifically about the release of the imprisoned Anatoly Shcharansky, Carter said that it would not be "particularly useful" to project any other cases on the basis of this one. "We have made our concerns regarding Shcharansky well known," he said.

MFN UNDER EXAMINATION

Regarding the possibility of change in the U.S. law governing trade and credits in Soviet-American relations, Carter said that the question of most favored nation treatment for the Soviet Union is being "treated at the highest levels" and being examined "by a number of Congressional leaders." He said these activities "amount to a general review of this question. The activity alone indicates a great deal of consideration is being given to the matter." But he added he "has nothing to offer yet on conclusions."

Reminded that Sen. Henry Jackson (D.Wash.) had signaled at the Solidarity Sunday for Soviet Jewry rally in New York City strong opposition towards movement to modify the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, Carter said that he had "no specific response" although Jackson’s views "are important" and "have to be taken into account."

PREDICTS CARTER WILL GRANT MFN TO THE USSR

Meanwhile, Rep. AI Ullman (D.Ore.), chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, predicted that President Carter would find a way to grant most favored nation trade treatment to the Soviet Union by the end of this year. Ullman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that "directly or by interpretation" the President would say the Soviet government is in compliance with the Jackson-Vanik Amendment that links Soviet emigration policy to U.S. trade benefits. Asked whether assurances from the Soviet Union are required under the Jackson-Vanik proviso of the trade low, Ullman said "we will never get those assurances. No sovereign nation will give them." Asked about safeguards for future emigration once the Jackson-Vanik proviso is repealed or modified, Ullman said that a safeguard would be to review the situation "periodically" and "see if it is satisfactory."