European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 18, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes Flora Lewis world must continue pressing for human rights s1ntra, Portugal this is he 40th anniversary of he Universal declaration of human rights. Balw can Hope and frustration was the Apt title fora meeting Here on How to press ahead and in deed the record is spotty. Particularly in third world countries there is still angry controversy about whether rights should be considered Universal whether that claim in l another Western presumption to know what s Best for everybody. But the idea is spreading that there Are common requirements Tor Basic human dignity and that Sovereign Independence confers no state immunity from criticism for the Way it treats the people under its authority. At least the perverse notion is waning that devel Oping countries  in self government deserve some special indulgence when they egregiously abuse their citizens. This is the wont kind of double Standard pure racism an Indian woman said sternly the most unexpected changes have come income communist countries. They show it is Worth while to keep on haranguing and complaining not because the words move governments but because doing so gives people bean to know they Are not alone. A decent respect to the opinions of Mankind in the words of America s founders remains a com Pelling claim on those who hold Power that it is hard to enforce does not diminish the responsibility to assert it nor justify cynical apathy. It is Only 13 years ago that the Helsinki accords Michael Putzel were signed proclaim tog Standard that All govern ments of Europe undertook to assure their citizens. Some in the United states called for denouncing the agreements As a fraud and a hypocrisy on the grounds that the soviet Union gave them no More than lip service. Now Andrei Sakharov is visiting the United states accompanied by seven dissident friends and he is seeking to establish a joint Sov id american monitoring group. It was Only a couple of years ago that he was near death in enforced internal exile a Gorky on a hunger strike to obtain the right for his wife to seek medical treatment abroad the soviet Union has accepted that reports on violations of the Helsinki agreements Are appropriate International discourse. Instead of repeating the old line that the accusations Are an intolerable interference in internal affairs Moscow seeks to vie with he West by making charges of its own. The Agenda is established and it s possible now to Geton with the cases. No matter if the impulse is propaganda the people Are real. It is surprising that the soviets Are insisting so adamantly an a 1991 Helsinki review conference in Moscow but they have made it a condition for end ing the current stalled conference in Vienna aus Tria. The risk which Washington and Margaret Thatcher s Britain arc especially concerned about. Is that the occasion will be used to cover continue soviet abuses with diplomatic Courtesy and an appearance of innocence. But it is an Opportunity that should t be lightly brushed aside. Certain conditions can be put already considered Normal at previous conferences such As Access for All human rights groups including soviet citizens and full publicity. If that puts Mikhail Gorba Chev in a position to claim International support for Ever More glasnost what s the harm it leaves every one else in a position to continue judging by the facts and to urge More implementation. The new Law that he has proposed for the soviet press is a troubling and ironic example of the Obsta cles to compliance with the Helsinki objectives. The soviet leadership talks of the need to establish the Rule of Law As a part of its reforms. The draft on the rights and obligations of the soviet press is a bad Law with too Many constraints and provisions for suppression. The difference with the past is that repression ims been arbitrary without Benefit of Law. Relaxation of censorship has made it possible for peo ple like Sergei Grigoryants publisher of the Independent journal glasnost to slip through the cracks. Is it better to have bad rules than no rules Ai All and bad practice the answer is neither one is Good abuse that Gorbachev professes to seek frustrations remain but Hopes Glimmer. Forty years 13 years it s not so Long in social history. The cynics give up too easily. Gorbachev off to discuss planetary hot spots president Mikhail s. Gorbachev struggling with stubborn and potential threatening problems at Home is launching a new offensive in foreign policy where he has enjoyed his greatest Success in nearly fou years in Power. The soviet Leader who leaves this week for his Sec Ond visit to India told a farm meeting in the Southern soviet Union tuesday he also plans to visit the United states Britain and Cuba next month in what Tass called a Slep cd up foreign policy Effort there is much work to be done and we intend to continue acting in close cooperation with socialist countries and with All Peoples and governments to put International relations on a proper footing and strengthen world Security Gorbachev said. The december trip to address the . General Assembly and meet with president Reagan and presi Dent elect George Bush plus cuban Leader Fidel Castro and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher comes at a time when Gorbachev s Domestic policies arc stirring foment but producing Little tangible Progress. Ethnic and nationalist movements arc challenging Kremlin authority Over Armenia and the Baltic republics on the one hand As an entrenched bureaucracy resists Gorbachev s Effort to loosen the Central controls that he blames for stifling economic growth. Gorbachev complained at a conference called to encourage Farmers from collective and state farms to lease and manage their own land that the modern socialist economic Model is not fulfilling the system potential. Meanwhile the estonian parliament pre pared to consider a declaration of sovereignty that would claim the Baltic Republic s Independence from the soviet Union in All areas except defense and for eign policy. Gorbachev warned that some nationalists Are trying to provoke inter ethnic strife and undermine the Friendship of soviet Peoples and he. Cautioned against fanning those coals that for generations have glowed just beneath the surface. Compared to such deeply rooted problems on the Domestic front the issues of nuclear disarmament and regional hot spots might hold some attraction for Gorbachev whose most striking accomplishment to Date in the foreign policy sphere was the  agreement to scrap All intermediate Range nuclear  energetic 57-year-old soviet Leader has collected rave reviews for his handling of various inter National issues not just in sum Mitry with Reagan but in the soviet decision to withdraw from Afghanistan efforts to end outside involvement in the protracted civil War in Angola and the building of new political and economic Bridges to Western Europe the trip to Havana to meet with Castro a Frank opponent of Many soviet reforms May demonstrate Gorbachev s willingness to tolerate divergent views within inc communist Community. Discussion of the future of cuban troops in Angola one of the world hot spots the soviet Union has been trying to de fuse also would seem a certain Agenda item. In new York Gorbachev will bid Farewell to Rea Gan his four time Summit partner and Welcome Bush to the world stage where the two will pursue the unfinished business of seeking further cuts in their nuclear arsenals especially in their stockpiles of the deadliest most do Stabli ing Long Range weapons. Foreign ministry spokesman Gernady i Gerasi mov confirming Thatcher s announcement that she would meet Gorbachev in London called the British soviet Summit  there have been some improvements in relations Between the two sides and the British have shown considerable interest in perestroika. The spokes Man said. But he added that serious differences re main particularly on disarmament issues because Thatcher continues to insist on a policy of nuclear  -.-,"-v.-. A i the Road is still Long the spokesman said adding that the meeting will give Gorbachev and Thatcher a Hance to discuss the hot spots of the  As Well As human rights issues. Much a Putnel n ctn Ottn Motcow Buu no to Aii Artym Tutu. The opinions expressed in the columns and cartoon son this Page represent those of the authors and Are in no Way to be considered u representing the views of the Stan and stripes or the United Stales government