Interstitial
SUBMITTED: NATO RESOLUTION ON SOVIET INTELLECTUAL REFUGEES (SIR) [PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE, NO CLEARANCE REQ.]
NATO Parliamentary Assembly
Resolution on Soviet Intellectual Refugees
The Assembly,
Recognizing that a “second economy” has developed within the Soviet Union, giving rise to expanding black markets;
Concerned that the Soviet government has intensified efforts to crack down on these black markets, leading to potential human rights
violations;
Noting that many individuals involved in this shadow economy are religious and ethnic minorities;
Stressing that these individuals are facing increasing persecution due to their alignment with Western capitalist practices;
Asserting that these individuals have the potential to provide immense human capital value to NATO countries;
Endorsing the flight of these individuals from the Soviet Union to NATO countries with free-market economies;
URGES the governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance:
to recognize these individuals as a new class of “intellectual refugee”
to adopt measures to welcome them to their countries and provide an expedited path to citizenship
to create dedicated government programs to promote the welfare of these individuals and support their economic advancement
to publicize the stories of these individuals and encourage more emigration of skilled individuals to their countries from
the Soviet Union.