foreign Minister Abbe Eban refused to comment today on the possible reasons behind the admittedly more liberal Soviet policy of granting visas to Jews who want to emigrate to Israel. Eban said at a press conference that the liberalization still does not reflect the size of the problem. He said that the basic position of the Soviet Union remains inimical to Israel although it is possible that the Russians are urging Egypt not to resume shooting along the Suez Canal.
Replying to questions, the Foreign Minister said it was possible that international pressure exerted on the Soviet Union had shown some results in the issuance of visas to more Jews. But he insisted that no useful purpose would be served by further speculation as to what brought about the liberalization.
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.
