iS S 8008245 I • DEPARTMENT OF STATE •' ' V April 17 1980 I t l ' SCi ASSfRED '-' MEMORANDUM FOR DR ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI THE WHITS HOUSE Subject us Government Initiatives on behalf bf - Human Rights in the USSR COPIES TO EOR' ' • • HA IO I i Attached as requested is a record of United States Government actions programs and statements on eehalf of dissidents and hu an rights activists in the USSR The attached list covers the period January 1977 to the present While comprehensive the listing may not be inclusive of all- cµons undertaken by all agencies of the Executive·Branch especially by such specialized organizations as HEW the National Institutesof Health a1 others ' S MS S 5-S AH 'l'MC RP 3AB INR • I i Peter Tarnoff t ' I j Executive Secretary1 I I I I Attachment as stated ol Drafted EOR SOV owcoVitt lr 4 16 80 x2207l i 0 Cleared EOR SOV RWFarran JtrEUR SOV WTShinn ' J r INR RSE IBelouso WF HA HR JGreenwald t IO HR NShaft 1 S MS CKarnman EUR SOV EHurwi __ _ EUR RLBarry j ASS ffiJJ Cn H flJ br uL1-1 i with CONFIOEUTIAL TACHMENTS • O S Government Initiatives on behalf of Hw an Riqhts in the USSR United States Government actions and stata ents on behalf of human rights and human rights activists in the USSR have ranged from broadly programmatic policy initiatives to private diplo atic demarches on behalf of individuals who have suffered for their h an rights beliefs Programmatic actions by the Government include --insistence on balanced implementation 6f the Helsinki Final Act including the human rights provisions of Principle 7 and Basket III i t' I --semi-annual reports on implementation af the Final Act --us diacussion at the Belgrade CSCE Review Meeting of the full range of human rights viol tions by the Soviets with mention both of violation of principles and of injustice in indrvidual casaa and US planning for a thorough review of CSCE implement tion at the Madrid Meeting --presentation to the Soviets at least annually of the U S Representation List of Divided Fa ilies and more frequent presentation of the special 1iat of hardship cases drawn from the large list The Replist was last presented in H y 1980 and the hardship list at the Vienna Summit --presentation to the Soviets of a list of those denied exit permission to Israel including p isoners of conscience this list was presented at ·the Vienna Summit --OS policy on a case by case basis of attempting to send diplomatic observers to trials of activists as in the Shcharanskiy Ginzbur Bakhmin and other cases i ' --Embassy and Department's reporting and analysis program on human rights developments in the USSR --policy o_f maintaining Embassy contacts with dissident groups and spokesmen designed to perpetuate those contacts without undul endangering E basgy personnel -2- I -- long term assistance to those who hove a spe ial claim to our help including the Ginzbun1 Shibayev family and the Sakharov Yankelcvich family I --refuge and rnaint0nance of two Pentacostalist families in Moscow Embassy --full utilization of the mechanisms of the U N UNHRC and UNHCR on behalf of human rights --sp cial attention and concern by White House in human rights cases ' --U S assistance to private groups concerned with promoting · respect for hu 'nan rights ir the USSR si a h as the Holsinki Watch Group HIAS Internet and the Lawyers' Committee for International Human Rights and U S policy not to prohibit legal private conta ts by Americans with Soviet citizens I --protoction of rights of Americans who maintain such 1 Soviet contacts --VOA and RL prograr uning --support for the right of emigration through our intensive monitoring program and ou support for the movement and rusettlement of refuijees both in the United States and third countries --our effort to obtain vyzovs for special hardship categories of would-be emigrants such as Pentacostalists and dissidents forced to emigrate --our coordination of human rights activities with other agencies and branches of the Government and with private groups --liaison on hwnan rights question with allies and other countries especially as regards coordination I of CSCE policy --efforts whenever practicable to secure the r lcase and emigration of imprisoned activists through exchanges as was done in April 1979 when two convicted Soviet spies were exchanged for Gjnzburg u netsov v ns Dy shite and Moroz and earlier Vladimir Bukovskiy -- ---- -3--our consultations v- ith f rO i1ineul 1un1dn rir1hts activists and with U S group Mnil i nrl i ui dua ls intcres t 1 i in i1uman r igncs In addition to the above listed o -going programmatic activities of the US Gover ent many concrete actions have been taken since 1977 One such grou of actions can be categorized as private diplomatic representations to the Soviets on individual cases These have been very numerous During the latter half of 1979 for exar ' ple there were 27 representations made in human rights caoes such as the problem of Shcharanskiy's health and the arrest of Father Gleb Yakunin At least 40 additional representations were also made in family reunification cases during that period Other rights questions including travel marriage and media representation were raised over sixty times in the latter part of 1979 Noteworthy actions and statements on behalf of human rights and hlli an rights activists in the USSR include See attached pages i i r t Pre ident Carter's Inaugural Address emphasized human rights January 20 1977 I r t State Department warning to Soviets on possible repression of Sakharov January 27 J 1977 il President Carter told Dobrynin U S will not back down on human r ghts February l 1977 I j President Carter•s letter to Sakharov · February 5 1977 i I Carter Administration issued statement on Gin2berg arrest February 5 1977 li President Carter said he will support human rights despite risk to arms control February a I iI 1911 · Carter Administration criticized Orlov arrest raised it in UN February 11 1977 I • USUN Delegate Lowenstein spoke to Soviet delegate Zorin at UN raised Orlov question and asked inquiry February 15 1977 · 0 President Carter asked UNHRC to urge USSR to disclose fate of arrested dissidents February 18 1977 Bukovsky visited White House March 1 1977 Lowenstein asked UNHRC to seek information from USSR on HR activists March 5 1977 Secretary Ven e statement on HR at La Day University of Georgia March 26 1977 President Carter expressed disagreement with Chairman Brezhnev over HR in USSR March 24 1977 President Carter and State Department statement on Shcharanskiy June 2 1977 • 2 Secretary Vance pledged to Congress to bring• pressure on Soviets over lack of CSCE implementation at Belgrade rr eeting June 6 1977 -- ' President Carter denied Shcharanskly is e U S spy June 13 1977 President Carter statement on human rights in USSR June 30 1977 - -- · President Carter signed International Covenants on political and civil and social and cultural rights at UN September 1977 U S criticized Soviets on broad range of Hums Rights violations includinQ specific cases et Belgrade CSCE review meetino October 1977 - March 1978 I I President Carter statement on h1 unan rights in h'i l rsaw December 26t 1977 I President Certer end Secretary Yance warned USSP on impact of hu an rights situation on U S -Soviet relations November 1 1977 I i l -- Ambassador Gol berg crltlclzed Soviets for repressipn of SHOT activists December 1977 General Attorney Bell extended parole authority for admission to U S of 5 000 Jews jn Italy December 3 1977 Presjdentiel Directive No 30 firmly 1mbedding human rights in U S foreign policy issued February 16 1978 U S told UNHRC it should be concerned with human rights in USSR March 7 1978 U S statement on i pact of Shcharenskiy case on u s -ussn relations March 7 1978 Secretary Vance raised Shcharanskiy case 1th Gromyko April 20 1978 Patt Derian spoke out for Mykola Rudenko et meeting with Soviet writers' delegation May 11 1978 U S statement on Orlov trial May 15 1978 V 3 -· U S reaction to Orlov trial ay 18 1978 -- Cancellation of visits by two exchange groups under bilateral agreements over Orlov trial -• Carter concerned over Orlov and other dissidents May 27 1978 -- National Security Adviser Brzezinski advised HEW s cretary Califano to cancel trip to retaliation for Orlov trial u s s R in Request to Soviets for Carnsakhardia trial transcripts June ·s 1978 Patt Derian criticized Soviet emigration policy June 27 1 78 State Department expressed concern over Shcharanskiy and Ginzberg July 7 1978 Secretary Vance canceled two government missions over · ' ' lranskiy and Ginzberg trial July 0 1978 • Secretary Vance to talk to Gromyko on dis idents July e 8 1978 USUN delegate Mezvinsky spoke out at rally for Shcharanskiy July 10 1978 oil sale White House reconsiders drilling equipment J ly 11 1978 President Carter stater ent on trials July 12 1978 I Secretary Vance received Avital Shcharanskiy in Geneva suite during SALT talks July 13 1978 · White House Science Counselor Press postponed u s -u s S R Science-Technology Meeting over treatment of dissidents Carter deplored Shcharanskiy trial July 14 1978 Carter Administration considering alternative reactions to dissidents• trials July 15 1978 Vice Presi ent Mondale met with Avital Shcharanskiy July 17 1978 4 i • -- Pres dent Carter's reaction no oil drilling equipment or Sperry computer for Soviets July 18 1978 -- President Carter again deplored recent -Conviction of activists July 20 1978 -- Secretary Vance statement on human rights in USSR July 2J 1978 President Carter canceled HUD visit to USSR July 25 1978 -- Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Schneider statement on human rights in the USSRr July 25 1978 Commeice Department restricted oil and ges equipment sales to Soviets July 31 1978 Ambassador Toon met emlgre dissidents in U S September 22 1978 Or Shulman and Ambassador Toon raised Elene· Bonner eye problem with Ambassador-Dobryn1n et Geneva December 1978 President Carter and Dr Brzezinski statements on 30th anniversary of UN Declaration of Human Rights December 6 1978 White House Science Counselor rrank Press raised HR Issues in Moscow ebruary 5-7 1979 USUN Delegate Mezvinsky urged protest on cases of 22 Soviet dissidents March 13 1979 Attorney General Sell approved parole extension to 25 000 for Jewish refugees March 26 1979 Prisoner exchange with Soviets April 27 1979 President Carter end Pastor Ceorgiy Vins attended Bible class and prayer April 29 1979 -sI President Carter voic d expectation exchanged prisoners• families to emigrate Mny 29 1979 6 Cdrtcc-Brczhncv cu unit in Vienna Tune 18 1979human rights djscussed Jewish refuseniks list and U S list of hardship family reunification cases presented DAS Schneider demarche to Soviet DCM Vasev on mail problem June 5 1979 Presidential statement on anniversary of Helsinki Final Act criticized Soviet and other East European states' failures in implementation August 1 1979 I U S Bmbassy canceled reception for Soviet phblishers over Bernstein visa denial case September 1979 2 I i Ambassador Toon met Acting Soviet Minister of Internal Affairs concerning plight of Pentecbstalists September 21 1979 Ambassador Toon met Embassy Pentecostalists September 21 1979 I • Human rights raised at u s -soviet CSCE bilateral consultation planning meeting September 24 1979 l Embassy letter to Soviet Ministry of Interna Affairs conveying Embassy Pentecostalists' l' tter asking exit permission October 10 1979 Cases of four Soviet citizens condemned for conomic crimes Shcharanskiy Orlov and Mendelevich raised October 21 1979 DAS Goodby protested SovietsJ arrest of Terleckas Yakunin and Velikanova November 1979 I I Department statement on Sakharov exile Janu ry 22 1980 i l 6 ' i •• I· I l -- White House statement on Sakharov exile January 23 1980 -- Criticism of Soviet repression of activists at CSCE Scientific rorum in Hamburg tebruary 1980 I I I Patt Oerian statement on Sakharov exile on VOA February 1 1980 U S support for lawyers' group seeking UNESCO action on Sakharov case February 1980 · r r1rst Annual Human Rights Report included criticism of USSR and EE countries February 4 1980 White House Science Counselor wrote 0 let State Committee for Science and Technology Chief about Sakharov case February 12 1980 ' I j I '11t' Drafted EOR SOV 0 ·7C tr'a tt r e 4 17 80 Ext 21712 Clearance EUR SOV RW'Fa rand EOR SOV WTShinn Jr EUR RLBarry r 'L • 1 · r l I I I • ·11' J t