The World - News from April 11, 1986

Only 53 Soviet Jews were allowed to emigrate to the West last month, the lowest figure since August last year, the International Committee for Migration reported in Geneva. Eight of the emigres traveled on to Israel after their arrival in Vienna and the remainder went to Italy for processing to other countries, the intergovernmental body said in a statement. So far this year, 216 Jews have left the Soviet Union, compared to 247 during the same period last year. Emigration of Soviet Jews has declined sharply over the last six years after reaching a peak of 51,330 in 1979.