HC Deb 08 June 1988 vol 134 cc840-2
13. Mr. John Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the frequency with which he makes representations to the Russian Government about their treatment of refuseniks.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. David Mellor)

We raise human rights questions, including the problem of Jewish emigration, with the Soviet authorities at every suitable opportunity. My right hon. and learned Friend did so in detail during his talks with Mr. Shevardnadze in Moscow in February. He also raised some humanitarian cases in his meeting with Mr. Shevardnadze in New York two days ago. We shall be making further detailed representations during bilateral human rights talks in June.

Mr. Marshall

Does my hon. and learned Friend agree that the number of exit visas granted by the Russians is much smaller and the basic Russian laws much harsher than they were in 1979, long before glasnost? Will he continue to tell the Soviet Union that as long as it cheats on the obligations that it accepted in Helsinki, its signature on all other international documents will be suspect? When he next raises individual cases, will he raise the case of Mr. Oscar Eleyev, who has waited 20 years to receive an exit visa from Russia, and Mr. Vladimir Mishkov, who has waited for eight years? Those delays are quite intolerable.

Mr. Mellor

My hon. Friend knows that we raise such cases. I shall look sympathetically at this suggestion that we raise those two cases and write to him about them. We are looking for an outcome to the Vienna CSCE talks, which will mark a movement forward from Helsinki. We have made it clear to the Soviet Union that we attach importance to it honouring the obligations into which it entered in Helsinki as a sign of its good faith in other agreements. Of course it is important that there should be freedom of movement, but it is also important that some of the pressure in Soviet society from people wanting to leave should be reduced by allowing people religious freedom, so that Jewish people can practise their religion freely in the Soviet Union. That would be a step forward in accordance with the obligations entered into in Helsinki.