NSDD 169 United States-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) Joint Commercial Commission Meetings

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4 -SECRET 3 SECRET continue to express our serious concerne about Soviet human rights abuses and emigration policy. We must make it clear to the Soviets that their continued poor performance in these areas will have a serious negative effect on any effort to establish a more constructive bilateral relation- ship, including our economic and commercial relations. (S) Finally, the head of the U.S. delegation should state our abhorrence of the senseless killing of Major Nicholson and cite it as another example of a Soviet military response to a situation which has a severe impact on our overall relations. In this connection, we should reiterate our belief that the Soviet Union should apologize for this action and provide compensation to the Nicholson family. Our economic relations with the Soviet Union cannot be realistically isolated from other aspects of our overall relationship. (S) Ronald heg SECRET -SECRET