iS S 8008245 I • DEPARTMENT OF STATE •' ' April 17 1980 t l ' I SCi ASSfRED '-' MEMORANDUM FOR DR ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI THE WHITS HOUSE Subject us Government Initiatives on behalf bt - 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 ehalf of dissidents and h 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- c ons undertaken by all agencies of the Executive·Branch especially by such specialized organizations as HEW the National Institutesof Health all others j ' S MS S 5-S AH 'l'MC P P JAB INR '· I LLL- i t I Peter Tarnoff j Executive Secretary I I I I Attachment as stated Drafted EOR SOV OW tt lr 4 l6 BO x2207l i 0 Cleared EOR SOV RWFarran ft EUR SOV 1TShinn · Jr Of INR RSE IBelouso W HA HR JGreenwald t IO HR NShaft S HS CKarnman EUR SOV EHurwi-- EUR RLBarry j H flJ bf ULtl ASSiflcn i J with CONFIOEUTIAL A TACHMENTS • O S Government Initiatives on behalf of the USSR Hw an Riqhts in 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 hlli an rights beliefs Prograrr atic 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 1 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 casas and US planning for a thorough review of CSCE implementation 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 list 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 on human rights developments in the USSR progr n --policy of maintaining Embassy contacts with dissident groups and spokesmen designed to perpetuate those contacts without undul endangering E basgy personnel -2- I I -- long term assistance to those who have a spc ial claim to our help including the GinzbunJ Shibaycv family and the Sakharov Yankelevich family --refuge and rnaint0nance of two Pentacostalist families in t·1oscm Embassy --full utilization of the mechanisms of the U N UNHRC and UNHCR on behalf of human rights attention and concern by White House in human rights cases --sp cial --u s ' assistance to private groups concerned with promoting ·respect for hu nan rights ir the USSR sta h as the Helsinki vatch 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 rusettlemcnt 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 of CSCE policy ' I --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 G nzburg u netsov v ns Dy shite and Moroz and earl1er Vlad m r Bukovsk1y ' -3 • --our consultations v- ith f rO il ineul lUnldll rirrhts activists and with U S group Mnil i nrl i ui dua ls in teres t i in i1uman r ignt s In addition to the above listed o -going programmat1c 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 example 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 Carter's Inaugural Address emphasized human rights January 20 1977 Pre ident I r J State Department warning to Soviets on possible repression of Sakharov January 1977 Ii President Carter told Dobrynin U S will not back down on human r ghts ebruary l 1977 r l j President Carter's letter to Sakharov · ebruary 5 1977 i I Carter Administration issued statement on Ginzberg arrest February 5 1977 li rights despite risk to arms control February 1977 · a Carter Administration criticized Orlov arrest raised it in UN February ll 1977 I iI President Carter said he will support human I 27 • 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 8ukovsky 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 arezhnev 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 a 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 at Belgrade CSCE review meetino October 1977 - March 1978 President Carter statement on hu 'Tlan rights in December 26t 1977 I President Certer and Secretary Vance warned ussr on impact of human rights situation on U S -Soviet relations November 1 1977 I i l Ambassador Gol berg criticized Soviets for repressipn of SHOT activists December 1977 General -- Attorney Bell extended parole authority for admission to U S of 5 000 Jews in Italy December 3 1977 Presidential Directive No 30 firmly imbedding 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 Shcharanskiy case on u s -ussn relations March 7 1978 Secretary Vance raised Shcharanskiy case with Gromyko April 20 1978 Patt Oerien spoke out for Mykola Rudenko et meeting with Soviet writers' delegation May 11 1978 u s statement on Orlov trial May 15 1978 h' 1rsaw 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 U S S R in retaliation for Orlov trial 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 · ' 4lranskiy and Ginzberg trial July 0 1978 • Secretary Vance to talk to Gromyko on dis idents July e 81 1978 USUN delegate Mezvinsky spoke out at rally for Shcharanskiy July 10 1978 oil sale White House reconsiders dr i 11 i ng equipment J ly 11 1978 President Carter stater ent on trials July 12 1978 I Secretary Vance received Avital Shcharanskiy ln 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 • President Carter's reaction no oil drilling equipment or Sperry computer for Soviets July 18 1978 President Carter again deplored recent of activists July 20 1978 onviction Secretary Vance statement on human rights in USSR July 23 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 gas equipment sales to Soviets July 31 1978 Ambassador Toon met emigre dissidents in U S September 22 1978 Or Shulman and Ambassador Toon raised Elena · Bonner eye problem with Ambassador-Dobryn1n at 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 Bell approved parole extension to 25 000 for Jewish refugees March 26 1979 Prisoner exchange with Soviets April 27 1979 President Carter and Pastor Georgiy Vins attended Bible class and prayer April 29 1979 -sI President Carter voic d expectation exchanged prisoners• families to emigrate May 29 1979 6 Cartcc-Brczhncv cu ·nmit in Vienna Tune 18 1979human rights djscussed Jewish refuseniks list and u s list of hardship family reunification casus 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 Embassy canceled reception for Soviet phblishers over Bernstein visa denial case September 1979 2r I i of Ambassador Toon met Acting Soviet Minister Internal Affairs concerning plight of Pentecostalists September 21 1979 I Ambassador Toon met Embassy Pentecostalists September 21 1 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' li' tter asking exit permission October 10 1979 Cases of four Soviet citizens condemned for conomic crimes Shcharanskiy Or1ov and Mende1evichl-raised October 21 1979 j DAS Goodby protested Soviets arrest of Terleckas Yakunin and Ve1ikanova November 1979 I I Department statement on Sakharov exile Janu ry 22 1980 l i 6 ' i •• I· I l I I -- ' White House statement on Sakharov exile January 23 1980 Criticism of Soviet repression of activists at CSCE Scientific Forum in Hamburg tebruary 1980 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 I r J 1 i First ·Annual Human Rights Report included criticism of USSR and EE countr es February •· r 4 1980 White House Science Counselor wrote State Committee for Science and Technology Chief about Sakharov case February l2 1980 0 let ' I j I '1ft' Drafted EOR SOV 0 ·7C t a tt rc 4 17 80 Ext 21712 Clearance EUR SOV RWFa rand EOR SOV WTSh nn Jr r 'l- EUR RLBarry •