§ 2.51 p.m.
694§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to assist those who wish to leave the USSR in consequence of continuous anti-Semitic attacks, especially in the official newspapers and periodicals; and whether they will make a statement on the Helsinki Agreement in this regard.
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, the Government will continue to press the Soviet Union to fulfil its commitments under the relevant provisions of the Helsinki Final Act, including Principle VII, which states that the participating States will respect human rights and fundamental freedoms
for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion ",
Lord JANNERMy Lords, in thanking the noble Lord for that reply, may I ask him whether he will specifically bring to the notice of the USSR the fact of their disgraceful, shocking, articles, books and so on, which are very reminiscent of the Nazi methods, and the publication of which must be stopped? Secondly, will he be good enough to bring to their notice the fact that this anti-Semitism is carried very much further in many directions? One example concerns Moscow University and 87 applicants for admission from six leading Moscow high schools of high repute in the scientific world. Of the 87, 40 Jewish applicants, graduates from the schools for the mathematics faculty, were given six places, and of those only two were registered as Jews. Of the 47 who were registered as non-Jews, 40 were accepted. As the Daily Telegraph said, had a potential Einstein applied, he certainly would not have been admitted.
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, we have considerable sympathy with the view of the noble Lord. We deplore the continuing violations of basic human rights in the Soviet Union, in particular the rights to freedom of thought, expression, belief and movement. We have recently conveyed to the Soviet authorities our concern in this matter.
§ Lord WIGGMy Lords, will the noble Lord consider conveying the same expressions to the Israeli Government in regard 695 to their treatment of Arab mayors who happen to make statements that are not acceptable to the Israeli Government?
§ Lord TREFGARNEThat is another question, my Lords.