[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 207 (Friday, December 22, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2449]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RUSSIAN JEWISH CONGRESS TO CONVENE IN MOSCOW IN JANUARY 1996

                                 ______


                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 22, 1995

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, next month in Russia, an event will take 
place that marks an important milestone in that country's long and 
difficult road toward democracy, freedom, and the development of an 
open and pluralistic society. Due in large part to the efforts of one 
of the leading entrepreneurs of Russia, Mr. Vladimir Goussinsky, the 
Uniting Convention of the Russian Jewish Congress will convene in 
Moscow in early January to bring together the religious and secular 
Jewish communities of Russia on the basis of their common ethnic and 
spiritual heritage. Mr. Speaker, this historic event marks the 
beginning of the Jewish community coming into its own in the new post-
Communist Russia, and it reflects the establishment of the Jewish 
community as a full-fledged and coequal member of Russian religious 
life.
  The Russian Jewish Congress, with the assistance and support of the 
World Jewish Congress, will give a unified voice to the important 
Jewish community of Russia, which has long been without such an 
organization to represent the broad concerns of its Jewish community. 
The aim of this organization is to unite the religious and secular 
Jewish communities of Russia in order to develop and finance programs 
to revive Jewish language and cultural traditions, establish national 
schools, restore synagogue buildings, and assist disadvantaged and 
needy members of the Jewish Community.
  Mr. Speaker, under the outstanding leadership of Vladimir Goussinsky, 
there is no doubt in my mind that this organization will succeed in its 
worthy goals. Mr. Goussinsky is known internationally as a champion of 
free enterprise and freedom of the press in Russia, and now he has 
established himself as a leader of the resurgent Jewish community by 
convening this Uniting Convention of the Russian Jewish Congress. He 
has done a great service to his country by leading the way toward a 
pluralistic society that honors and respects the diverse cultures and 
religious communities that are contained within its borders.
  Mr. Goussinsky is director general of the Most Group of Companies, 
one of Russia's largest and most productive private enterprises. He was 
a theater director who drove a gypsy cab on the side to supplement his 
income under the Communist regime. In 1986, just 5 days after Soviet 
President Michael Gorbachev legalized private commercial activities, 
Mr. Goussinsky established his first company. He later created one of 
the first Russian-American joint ventures, which became the foundation 
for the Most Group.
  The Most Group now includes a diverse portfolio of some of the most 
visible and successful businesses in Russia, employing over 12,000 
people and now with assets of nearly $500 million. These include Most 
Development, a real estate and construction division which has 
spearheaded the rebuilding and reconstruction of key areas of Moscow; 
Most Bank, one of the largest banks in Russia; Segodnya, one of 
Moscow's most popular daily newspapers; and NTV, Russia's only 
independent television network.
  Mr. Goussinsky has led the fight for freedom of the press in Russia. 
Segodnya and NTV are regarded worldwide as being the most independent 
and honest media outlets in Russia. Mr. Goussinsky has repeatedly 
continued to report objectively--and in many cases critically--
regarding government policies and Russian domestic and international 
politics. This commitment to freedom of the press has been pursued 
despite enormous political pressure from the government and other 
forces in Russia.
  The Russian people and the Russian Jewish community are fortunate 
indeed to enjoy Mr. Goussinsky's heroic efforts to bring Russia out of 
this extremely difficult time and encourage the transition to a free 
market and to an open and pluralistic democracy. I invite my colleagues 
to join me in applauding Mr. Goussinsky for his efforts in convening 
the Uniting Convention of the Russian Jewish Congress and in fostering 
freedom and democratic progress in Russia.

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