Dr. Branovan was interviewed in regards to his experience traveling with AJC on a Mission
to the Former Soviet Union.
July 15, 2010
End a Cold War Relic
AJC Executive Director, David Harris
Op-Ed in International Herald Tribune
A trip to Moscow this month was another reminder of a needless thorn in Russian-American relations. The Jackson-Vanik Amendment, a relic of the Cold War, continues to apply to Russia. This makes no sense.
I’ll never forget Dec. 20, 1974, the day the U.S. Congress unanimously adopted the amendment to the 1974 Trade Act. It linked the granting of most-favored-nation trade status for non-market economies to their policy on emigration. In essence, it was targeted at the Soviet Union for its restrictions on the emigration of Jews.
When Congress passed the legislation, I was in Norway, having been expelled from the U.S.S.R. earlier that month. Until being put on a plane from Moscow, I had been one of six Americans working in Soviet schools as part of a government-to-government exchange program, an early dividend of the Nixon-Brezhnev era of détente. But my regular contact with Soviet Jewish activists irked my hosts.
Having witnessed firsthand the oppression of Soviet Jews, I could only cheer the Congressional action sparked by the leadership of Senator Henry Jackson and Congressman Charles Vanik.
During the 1980s, some began calling for repeal of the amendment in light of the first signs of glasnost and perestroika. Such action was premature. Moscow needed to understand that domestic change must include the right to emigrate without the daunting obstacle course so long in place. By the 1990s, the Soviet Union was no more, emigration was a fact, and Jewish communities were miraculously beginning to reemerge across the former Soviet Union.
Yet the Jackson-Vanik Amendment remains intact, at least as far as Russia is concerned. Moscow must receive a periodic presidential waiver. There is no rhyme or reason for this annual review, which, as American Jewish Committee groups have learned from frequent meetings with Russian officials, they understandably find upsetting.
Washington is sending the wrong message to Moscow, especially at a time of improving bilateral ties between our two countries and growing cooperation on such pressing issues as Iran’s nuclear program.
It also raises questions about our credibility. Today, no one doubts that Russians who wish to emigrate have the right to do so. Apropos, if millions were to exercise that option, it is absolutely certain that the U.S. would not admit all, or even most of them. Meanwhile, Russia and Israel have signed a visa-free agreement, meaning that citizens of both countries can travel back and forth without a visa, another sign of the free movement of people.
Three successive American presidents — Clinton, Bush and Obama — have supported the graduation of Russia from the strictures of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, but, regrettably, without results to date.
The obstacle lies in Congress. Some legislators, perhaps with no recollection of the amendment’s original intent, have viewed it as an all-purpose vehicle for expressing opposition to particular Russian policies. Most striking has been the American poultry industry effort to use the amendment to force Moscow to purchase imported chickens.
This is absurd. If Russia is placing barriers in the path of our exports, or posing other problems, then by all means address the question directly, but not in such a roundabout way. The recent spy swap demonstrates how today the two countries have the capacity to deal successfully with difficult issues.
Lifting the Jackson-Vanik Amendment would acknowledge that what was sought in 1974, emigration, has been achieved. It would demonstrate that our word counts for something on this issue and that we are not going to move the goal posts at will. It would recognize the forward march of history.
Some argue that the legislative battle is not worth pursuing now. They assert that Congress will in any case need to graduate Russia from the amendment as part of Moscow’s eventual accession to the World Trade Organization. But that’s the back-door route, creating the impression that it is being done grudgingly.
Instead, Congress should take the high road. The Jackson-Vanik Amendment was a landmark accomplishment. It spoke to the highest values of America’s commitment to human rights. It served its noble purpose. As a result, countless people gained their freedom.
Congress should stop “playing chicken” and do the right thing: recognize reality and graduate Russia from this throwback to the Cold War.
David Harris is executive director of the American Jewish Committee.
An AJC leadership delegation just concluded a two-day visit to Russia. Moscow marks the last stop for the 11-member group, which began its journey in Azerbaijan and also visited Ukraine.
In Moscow, the delegation met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Israeli Ambassador to Russia Anna Azari, American Deputy Chief of Mission Eric Rubin, former head of the Russian presidential administration Alexander Voloshin, and senior officials at ROSATOM (the State Atomic Energy Corporation). Thursday’s meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov was the latest in more than a dozen meetings with the foreign minister in the past several years.
In addition, AJC met with leaders of Russia’s vibrant Jewish community, including the Russian Jewish Congress, Moscow Hillel, the Eurasian Jewish Congress, and VAAD.
Interreligious dialogue was also high on the agenda in a discussion with the Deputy Head of International Relations for the Russian Orthodox Church, which counts over 135 million members worldwide and functions as an integral part of Russia’s social and cultural fabric.
Many Russian media outlets closely followed the AJC trip throughout their two-day stint in Moscow. Russia’s premier English-language station, Russia Today or RT, which is broadcast worldwide, featured two interviews with the delegation and the Russian News and Information Agency, RIA Novosti, prominently displayed a third interview on its website.
"Our meetings in Russia were extremely informative, fruitful, and in many respects, encouraging," said Harris. "AJC’s relationship with this part of the world dates back to 1906, when the organization was founded by American Jews concerned about pogroms sweeping the region. In light of this tragic history, not to mention the events of the Second World War and the plight of Soviet Jewry, it’s simply stunning to come as an American Jewish group to Moscow and see what progress has been made here in rebuilding Jewish life."
AJC’s meetings in the Foreign Ministry and at ROSATOM focused on Iran’s nuclear program and what can be done to prevent the regime from attaining nuclear weapons. "Our talks with high-ranking Russian officials both confirmed and highlighted this threat, as time is not on our side," explained Harris. "An Iran with nuclear-weapons capability not only poses a threat to the state of Israel, but also to regional and global security. Russia, Israel, the United States, and indeed the entire international community, have a vested interest in bringing this program to a halt.
On a more uplifting note, talks with American and Israeli diplomats indicated that the bilateral relationships between these two countries and Russia are at their highest point in years. As Harris explained, "The much-discussed "reset" in relations between the U.S. and Russia is a reality and its effects are being felt here on the ground. AJC hopes that this bond will continue to strengthen and that Russia will soon be graduated from the outdated Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which today is little more than a Cold War relic."
Similarly, relations with Israel, which is home to more than a million Russian speakers are strong and getting stronger. Successful economic, cultural and political partnerships between the Russian Federation and the State of Israel have been bolstered by a visa-free agreement, which allows Russian and Israeli citizens to travel easily between the two countries, encouraging both trade and tourism.
July 8, 2010
AJC Executive Director, David Harris was interviewed by leading broadcaster Russia Today about the AJC leadership delegation’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and about the challenges facing the Middle East. To see this interview click here.
July 7, 2010
AJC Leadership Delegation Visits Ukraine
Kyiv, Ukraine
An AJC leadership delegation just concluded a two-day visit to Ukraine.
The 11-member group met with Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, the President's Deputy Chief of Staff for External Affairs Amb. Andrii Goncharuk, and Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Horin.
AJC also met with Opposition Leader Yulia Tymoshenko and former President Viktor Yushchenko.
The delegation was briefed by American Ambassador John Tefft and Israeli ambassador Zina Kalay-Kleitman, and met with leaders of the Jewish community, including representatives of the VAAD, the Ukrainian Jewish Committee, and the Ukrainian Union of Jewish Students.
"Meeting with the Jewish community was a profoundly moving experience for the delegation," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "It is inspiring to witness how vibrant Jewish life has returned to a land where Jews experienced such horrendous tragedies in the 20th century, including the Nazi massacre at Babi Yar in Kyiv," added Harris.
The AJC delegation visited Babi Yar and recited the Mourner's Kaddish for the tens of thousands of Jews murdered there in the fall of 1941 by occupying Nazi forces and local collaborators.
The discussion with Ukrainian officials focused on the bilateral relationship with the United States, following the visit to Kyiv last week of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and with Israel. High on the agenda was a shared concern about Iran's ominous nuclear program and continued defiance of the will of the international community.
Moreover, the delegation discussed a pilot project, involving AJC, Germany and local participants, to identify and protect mass graves of Jews from the Holocaust in Ukraine. The project was triggered by the laudable work of Father Patrick Desbois, a Catholic priest, who was honored by AJC four years ago for his commitment to the protection of Holocaust memory.
"AJC appreciates Ukraine's support for Israel," said Harris. "In particular, AJC applauds Ukraine's vote at the UN against the infamous Goldstone Report, as well as the forthcoming agreement for a visa-free agreement with Israel.
The accord is expected to boost bilateral tourism and trade."
"For AJC, Ukraine has been an important country since the re-establishment of its independence in 1991, a step we actively supported," concluded Harris. "That's why we have visited regularly and sought to be helpful, including in the successful 'graduation' of Ukraine by the U.S. Congress from the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. Ukraine is a large country with vast potential, is home to a large Jewish community and a rich Jewish heritage that is slowly being reclaimed, and has important links with Israel."
Prior to Kyiv, the AJC group was in Azerbaijan for meetings with President Ilham Aliyev and senior officials of his government, as well as American and Israel diplomats.
July 5, 2010
AJC Leadership Delegation Visits Azerbaijan
Baku, Azerbaijan
An AJC leadership delegation just concluded a two-day visit to Azerbaijan.
The 11-member group met for an hour with President Ilham Aliyev on Sunday at his seaside residence outside Baku, the nation's capital. Just prior to the meeting with AJC, President Aliyev welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the estate.
The group also met with Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Vaqif Sadiqov, Speaker of the Parliament Oktay Asadov, Israeli Ambassador Michael Lavon-Lotem, outgoing American Charge d'Affaires Donald Lu, incoming Charge d'Affaires Adam Sterling, and other officials.
The visit was given significant media coverage in Azerbaijan and on the country's international television station, which broadcasts in Russian, Farsi and other languages.
This was AJC's second trip to Baku in the past two years. The earlier visit took place in August 2008. In January 2008, AJC met privately with President Aliyev at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. At that time, the Azerbaijani leader invited AJC to pay a visit Baku.
"Azerbaijan is a critically important country," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "We were delighted to be there at the same time as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a month after U.S.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, underscoring Washington's deep interest."
"It is important for Americans to understand the key role that Azerbaijan today plays in our nation's counter-terrorism efforts, energy security, and military operations in Afghanistan," added Harris. "And
Jews and friends of Israel need to be aware of the long and rich history of the Jewish community in Azerbaijan, and of the country's close and mutually beneficial ties with Israel."
In the course of the extensive conversations, Azerbaijani officials shared their strong interest in resolving the long-standing conflict over territory occupied by Armenia for more than 15 years and their
frustration with the efforts to date. For its part, AJC raised concerns about the Iranian nuclear program and support for international terrorism. Azerbaijan shares a 350-mile border with Iran to its south. Iran was widely reported to have been involved in a foiled plot two years ago to attack Israeli diplomats in Baku.
"We were very warmly and graciously received by our Azerbaijani hosts," Harris said. "Given the importance we attach to Azerbaijan, we shall look forward to our next visit and to frequent contact in between."
July 4, 2010
Azerbaijan News Agency on AJC meeting with President Aliyev
Azerbaijani President receives executive director of American Jewish Committee
04.07.2010 21:51
President Ilham Aliyev has today received Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee David Allan Harris and his accompanying delegation, AzerTAj state news agency reported.
The Head of State expressed hope that the visit of the delegation would be successful and provide opportunities to learn more about Azerbaijan.
David A. Harris noted Azerbaijan is an important country for the United States, saying "we, friends of Azerbaijan, realize this country`s political, strategic and cultural importance for the U.S". He pointed his visit comes after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton`s trip to Azerbaijan. According to Harris, these visits are the indicator of expanding US-Azerbaijan ties.
President Ilham Aliyev noted US-Azerbaijan relationship is developing successfully in a variety of fields. Both countries have built effective cooperation in the political, economic energy and other fields. Azerbaijan and the United States are partners in counterterrorism operations.
The Head of State underscored the importance of bilateral relations in terms of regional cooperation.
President Ilham Aliyev touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He told of Armenia`s military aggression against Azerbaijan, peace talks and country`s stance on the resolution of the dispute based on international legal principles.
Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijanis and Jews have lived in peace and harmony for centuries. Jews living in Azerbaijan contribute to development of the country and it is, according to the President, a good factor reflecting "our relations".
June 7
Leaders of the Russian-Jewish community and head of the Russian-Jewish Affairs at AJC, Sam Kliger met with the Foreign Minister of the State of Israel Avigdor Liberman.
May 26
Meeting with the AzerbaijanState Committee on Diaspora Affairs Consultant, Samir Mehtiyev
Director of Russian-Jewish Affairs Sam Kliger met with Azerbaijan State Committee on Diaspora Affairs Consultant Samir Mehtiyev. They discussed plans for the upcoming AJC Diplomatic Mission to Azerbaijan.
AJC attends reception at Russian Mission to the United Nations dedicated to Victory Day
Sam Kliger attended the Russian Mission to the UN. This event was organized to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Victory Day (May 9th). Victory Day marks the end of the Second World War in Europe, when Nazi Germany capitulated to the Allies. The Russian Ambassador and 10 other Ambassadors from the countries of the former Soviet Union were in attendance.
March 25
AJC's Director of Russian Jewish Community Affairs, Sam Kliger, participated at the annual Diplomatic Model Seder, hosted by AJC New York, AJC Long Island and AJC Westchester.
16/02/2010
Sam Kliger's interview to 'Evreyskiy Mir' newspaper
During the Cold War, the United States and the West used the issue of human rights as a platform to question the policies and ultimately the legitimacy of the Soviet Union. One aspect of that strategy was the Jackson-Vanik amendment to the 1974 Trade Act, which denied normal trading relations to non-market economies that restricted emigration rights. The amendment was particularly targeted to the Soviet Union’s practice at the time to deny Jews permission to emigrate.
Nearly 20 years after the fall of the Soviet Union and the emergence of an independent Russian state, the Jackson-Vanik amendment remains in force against Russia, even though Russia has been declared a market economy by the United States and it no longer restricts emigration.
This conference explored the history, legacy, and lessons of the enactment and life of the Jackson-Vanik amendment.
Panel 2: Rethinking the Human Rights Issue and U.S.-Russian Relations
Chair: Steve Hanson, University of Washington Blake Marshall, The PBN Company Sarah Mendelson, Center for Strategic and International Studies Sam Kliger, American Jewish Committee
February 3
The Jackson-Vanik Amendment and U.S.-Russian Relations
Kennan Institute, WoodrowWilsonCenter
Sarah Mendelson, Center for Strategic and International Studies; Sam Kliger, American Jewish Committee; Karinna Moskalenko, International Protection Center; Moderator William Pomeranz, Deputy Director, Kennan Institute.
The Jackson-Vanik amendment to the 1974 Trade Act denied permanent normal trading relations to non-market economies that restricted emigration rights, and remains in force today for several states, including Russia. Three experts discussed the legacy of Jackson-Vanik, and how the United States can contribute to improving the human rights atmosphere in Russia without reverting to the dynamics of the Cold War.
January 26
What should be done to improve American Jewish – Israel relations?
Discussion with Israeli Minister Yuli Edelstein
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AJC’s ACCESSNY hosted meeting with one of the leading architects of Israeli-Diaspora relations, Yuli Edelstein. The participants of the Russian Leadership program took apart in the event.
