Iceland Reverses Decision, Will Let Jewish Group In

Iceland today urged all foreign protest groups to stay away during this weekend’s superpower meeting but reversed an embarrassing decision that had barred U.S. Jewish leaders who want to raise the plight of Soviet Jews.

Prime Minister Steingrimur Hermannsson said on radio that he does not want any public meetings while Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev and President Reagan hold their talks Saturday and Sunday.

But he said a U.S. Jewish group will be allowed in for a few hours Friday. “Our very small police force cannot take care of all the groups that want to come, but this particular one was very cooperative,” he said.

Jerry Strober, spokesman for the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, told reporters that the Icelandic government had agreed that eight to 10 Jewish leaders could arrive Friday morning, hold a news conference and then leave in the afternoon.

Gorbachev is expected to arrive for the summit Friday evening.

Asked what purpose the mission will serve if Gorbachev is not on the island, Strober said:

“Our main concern is to come before the summit and present the plight of 3 million Soviet Jews. I am sure the presence of this group will be noted by Gorbachev.”

The Icelandic government has been embarrassed by the row over keeping out Jewish groups.

The prime minister complained Monday night that he had been quoted out of context about expressing hope that all Jewish groups would stay away from Iceland.

The blunt-spoken prime minister told reporters on Sunday: “Frankly, I hope all those Jewish groups stay at home.”

Under emergency powers granted last week, Iceland can keep out foreigners who have no guaranteed accommodation. All hotels in and around Reykjavik are booked for the mini-summit.