Group
Quits
Conference

ew York (JTA) — An advo-
cacy group for Jews in the
former Soviet Union has
quit the Conference of
Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organiza-
tions, in a rare protest
against the umbrella organi-
zation.
At issue is a receptfon co-
sponsored by the conference
last month for diplomats
from the Asian republics of
the former Soviet Union.
The Union of Councils,
formerly known as the
Union of Councils for Soviet
Jews, argued that three of
the republics —Uzbekistan,
Turkmenistan and Ta-
jikistan — perpetrate
human rights abuses and
should not be seen as having
"friendly relations" with the
American Jewish commun-
ity.
Israel's permanent repre-
sentative to the United
Nations, Ambassador Gad
Yaacobi, sponsored the re-
ception as well.
In a resignation letter sent
before the reception, the
Union of Councils raised the
issue of whether the diplo-
macy conducted by the

The Union of Councils questions
reservations.

American Jewish commun-
ity should be motivated by
Israel's foreign policy con-
cerns or by a broader, and
less realpolitik, human
rights agenda.
The resignation also
highlights the difficulties
faced by an organization
such as the Union of Coun-
cils, which prides itself on its
maverick, grass-roots status
and yet at the same time
wants to work within the
communal umbrella repre-
sented by the Conference of
Presidents.
In the resignation letter,
signed by Pamela Cohen,
national president of the
Union of Councils, and
'Micah Naftalin, its national
director, the organization
complained that it was not
consulted on the reception,
which falls directly within
their bailiwick.
Instead, the National Con-
ference on Soviet Jewry —
itself an umbrella agency,
representing many of the
Conference of Presidents'
members on Soviet Jewry
issues — joined the reception
as a co-sponsor.
The focus of the evening

was more symbolic than
substantive. Several diplo-
mats were hampered in get-
ting to know the Jewish
community by their lack of
English.
"We're here to recognize
change, change for the
better" said Lester Pollack,
chairman of the Conference
of Presidents told the diplo-
mats and Jewish organiza-
tional officials at the July 7
meeting.
Mr. Yaacobi pointed out
that Israel now has formal
relations with all eight
countries present.
Turkmenistan, with which
Israel hopes to establish ties,
was invited but did not send
a representative.
In fact, several of the
former Soviet Republics
have closer ties with Israel
than with each other, given
the several conflicts occurr-
ing in the former Soviet
Union.
"You can be a bridge bet-
ween Israel and the Moslem
world," Mr. Yaacobi told the
diplomats.
Present were represent-
atives from Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan,

Moldova, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan, Georgia and
Russia. Most of these states
share borders with Iran or
Afghanistan.
Represented too, though
not part of the former Soviet
Union, were neighboring
Turkey and Armenia, as
well as the United States.
For its part, the Con-
ference of Presidents main-
tained that the reception
should not be seen as a
blanket endorsement of the
policies of the invited coun-
tries.
In recognition of the
human rights concerns, Mr.
Pollack emphasized in his
introductory remarks.
"concern for the safety of
people," and that "this is a
time of change that is not
complete."
Similarly, Mark Levin, ex-
ecutive director of the Na-
tional Conference on Soviet
Jewry, told the diplomats,
"We look forward to working
with you as you make pro-
gress in fulfilling the human
rights documents that
almost all of you have signed

CONFERENCE page 62