Washington Watch We'll make sure your window fashions arrive before your in-laws do. Durban II? Another pro Arab U.N. conference scheduled in Switzerland JAMES D. BpSER Jackson-Vanik Washington Correspondent Now that President George W. Bush and Russian president Vladimir Putin have bonded, the administration is ratcheting up efforts to get Congress to lift restrictions on Moscow based on the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amend- ment. Jackson-Vanik ties favorable trade status for the former Soviet Union and other nations to their human rights records, and their handling of emigra- tion in particular. Last week, after their summit in Washington and Crawford, Texas, Bush officially called for "graduating" Russia from Jackson- Vanik requirements. The administration wants restric- tions ended on five other former Soviet Republics. Congress must approve an end to Jackson-Vanik restrictions as part of a trade bill. The administration hopes to have that done before Congress leaves for the year in early December, although finding an appropriate vehi- cle and getting it passed may be diffi- cult. Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., a long- time defender of Soviet Jews, will play a major role in helping push the administration proposal. Mark Levin, executive director of NCSJ, a group-that-advocates for Jews in the former Soviet Union, said that Jewish leaders hope to use the upcom- ing congressional deliberations to win assurances that both governments will keep human rights on their agendas as ties between the two countries improve. Last week, Putin met with Jewish leaders at the Russian embassy in Washington; Levin said participants were encouraged by his commitment to fight anti-Semitism and work for religious freedom. I srael, battered and bruised by a United Nations racism confer- ence in South Africa in late August, could face another pounding in Geneva on Dec. 5. With prodding from Arab and Muslim nations, Switzerland is con- vening a session of the High Contracting Parties, the signers of the Fourth Geneva Convention, a 1949 agreement that deals with the rights of civilians during wartime. The sole function of the meeting, only the second in the 52-year history of the treaty, is to condemn Israel's policies in Gaya and the West Bank. The first meet- ing of the signatories in 1999 also focused on Israel, but lasted only 45 minutes, largely because of U.S. pressure. "It's the 'son of Durban,"' said Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League. "Durban opened a Pandora's box; this is one result. "It's part of a major effort to put Israel outside the community of nations, to somehow show that they are the only ones guilty of violating the Geneva Convention." Martin Raffel, director of the Israel Task Force of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said the real danger is the cumulative impact of a determined Arab campaign to delegitimize Israel. "It's part of a pattern in which Israel is singled out and vilified in every international meeting," he said. "While this meeting has no immediate binding impact, it still fosters this strong anti-Israel feeling in the inter- national arena. And I'm sure this is not the end of it." The Bush administration has already indicated it will not participate; the Israeli government, too, is boycotting the meeting: The upcoming meeting "seems like a fairly esoteric issue, at first glance," said David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee. "But it has the potential to become quite nasty." European Union delegates will attend the session. Sources say EU leaders are trying to keep the session from turning into Durban II —but Jewish leaders worry that their partici- pation lends legitimacy to the entire enterprise. P.A. Sanctions Yasser Arafat may still be a hit with European leaders, but on Capitol Hill, he is more of a pariah than ever. Last week, congressional negotiators approved a foreign aid bill that included language that could result in sanctions against his Palestinian Authority if it fails to comply with repeated commit- WASHINGTON WATCH on page 26 Order your Hunter Douglas window fashions in time to celebrate the season. Call todayfor an in-home consultation and details on guaranteed holiday delivery. We'll also deliver a free copy of Gatherings, our holiday decorating and entertaining guide. 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