I remain, as always,
Gordon
C. WongMr. Gorbachev, i am adding one final page because of the item affixed to this page which came to my attention after i had drafted the rest of the statement to you.
My communications with the Soviet leadership since Poland's
"Solidarity" was first created have always presumed that the
Soviet leadership permitted it because of what we recommended in
1978 in the field of increasing respect of human rights and
workers rights in the international community.
Neither you nor your predecessors as Soviet leader have
confirmed this to date, though.
I note your expressed approval of the Polish Government's
repression of the "Solidarity" movement during the recent
Communist leaders summit in that country, and i continue to keep
track of the "situation" of Lech
Walesa and his peers.
This is an "open letter," Mr. General Secretary, and i have long promised the United Nations Secretariat and Western peace movement that i would be willing to provide them with copies of any of my reports to date which remain relevant to our mutual "concerns" as human beings "concerned" by the prospects for world peace.
There can be no doubt that there is an "interdependence
of peace and human rights," Mr. General Secretary.
One notes that the Botha regime now restricts the freedom
of South Africa's 'free' trade unions--possibly a product of
that country's governments' (since my 1978 communications with
them) evaluation of our recommendations to them--and this
repression is a further reason to doubt it can attain or
maintain the peace in the country it claims to pursue.
Many Western countries have substantial economic and trade relations with the Soviet Union and Eastern bloc states, and this makes it less likely that either side in future would choose to start a war which would be to the detriment of both sides, therefore, as well as unacceptable in terms of potential costs in human lives.
I believe, sir, that President Reagan presumes a
legitimate, constructive, and conscientious response by you to
this submission from me--and it is with this in mind that he
agreed to the expansion of administrative support for grain
sales to the U.S.S.R.
In future no doubt he will verify or deny this was a factor
affecting his decision for both and "all of us."
I have no comment presently on his July 25, 1986 letter to
you re the S.D.I. From my understanding of it "in
practical terms" ("with respect for our other expressed in 1978
commitments and concerns"), i doubt it can be achieved for the
purposes now stated.
My criticism of it is for this reason only--in fulfillment of
the responsibilities i agreed to in my 1978 agreement with the
American authorities.
After taking office as Governor of Georgia, Jimmy
Carter said:
"Government at all levels can be competent, economical, and efficient. Yet I would hasten to point out that nowhere in the Constitution of the United States, or the Declaration of Independence, or the Bill of Rights, or the Emancipation Proclamation, or the Old Testament, or the New Testament, do you find the words economy or efficiency. Not that these two words are unimportant. But you discover other words like honesty, integrity, fairness, liberty, justice, courage, patriotism, compassion, love--any many others which describe the qualities that a human being ought to possess. These are also the same words which describe the qualities that a government of human beings ought to possess."
...Or in other words--"democratic values," Mr. Gorbachev.
I have a copy of the Soviet Constitution in my
files.
I remain, as always,Gordon
C. Wong
DON'T THINK THE WISDOM OF THOMAS JEFFERSON IS PASSÉ YET IN WHAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO FROM YOUR GOVERNMENT? LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD: TAKE A BRIEF SIDESTEP HERE TO SIGN MY GUESTBOOK.
-IF YOU'RE NOT COMING HERE FROM THERE, ON THE SUBJECT OF "DEMOCRATIC VALUES" 'CANADA STYLE,' TAKE A BRIEF SIDESTEP HERE.
IN THE ORIGINAL REGISTERED LETTER TO MR.
GORBACHEV THERE WAS AFFIXED TO THIS PAGE A COPY OF THE JULY
24, 1986 VANCOUVER SUN WORLD ARTICLE, 'WALESA
FEARS BIG POLITICAL TRIAL PLANNED'.
TO READ IT,
TAKE YOUR NEXT FOOTSTEP
HERE.