JTA - 09.19.2005

Ukraine seeks end to trade law

(JTA) -- Ukraine’s president sought American Jewish support for efforts to graduate from American trade restrictions.

In a meeting Thursday in New York, NCSJ: Advocates on Behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States and Eurasia told Viktor Yuschenko that they would support Ukraine’s graduation from the Jackson-Vanik amendment, trade restrictions imposed on former Soviet countries based on their treatment of Jews and other human-rights issues. 

NCSJ Executive Director Mark Levin said American Jewish leaders were grateful for the Ukrainian government’s fast response to several recent anti-Semitic incidents, and have asked Yuschenko to cut remaining ties with anti-Semitic groups.