Correspondents' Correspondence Back in Belgrade

...But there is a fairly good chance that it eventually will be-if not at this conference, then perhaps at the next.-Eliahu SalPeter...

...To the West and the neutrals, this means the Soviets have accepted human rights as a legitimate subject of international concern, and not an exclusively domestic affair...

...It may be too optimistic to suggest that the groundwork for such a process has already been laid...

...Back in Belgrade Belgrade-despite the fanfare that marked the opening last month of the second and main part of the Helsinki accord review conference, the atmosphere is calmer than it was in June, when the lower echelons of the 35 participating countries met here to determine the agenda and procedures for the current discussions...

...When the Helsinki agreement was signed in 1975, no one-and certainly not Moscow-could foresee how strong a push it would give the human rights drive in Communist countries...

...Still, a growing feeling exists among many of the 35 delegations here that the international community is embarking on a major venture, a different kind of diplomatic experience...

...To Yugoslavia and Rumania?not to mention the West-this means that one country should not dictate the domestic politics of another...

...Meanwhile the Russians, amid repeated warnings about reviving tensions, gave the impression of slowly reconciling themselves to the fact that human rights would remain a central issue at Belgrade, and that they will have to listen when their sins are read aloud...

...the second is the lack of respect for cultural and religious rights of ethnic minorities...

...Hoping to resume the salt talks, Washington apparently is not interested in antagonizing the Kremlin...

...The first is the persecution of self-appointed (and thus in Moscow's eyes, illegal) "monitoring groups" set up in Communist countries to check on official compliance with the treaty obligations...

...In contrast to the fighting stance adopted earlier in the year by the then-new President, the slogan of the more weary Carter Administration for this portion of the review conference appears to be: No Confrontation...

...In the Helsinki Final Act, principle Six of the 10 principles guiding relations among participating states stipulates "noninterference" by one signatory in the internal affairs of another...

...But there is more than political or psychological or even moral significance to the citing of specific Helsinki violations by the U.S...

...Interestingly, several Communist countries have more or less supported discussion of the latter because they, too, have grievances over their neighbors' treatment of minority groups...

...One reason for this is that by agreeing back then to accept the principle of extending these sessions until a final communique is drafted and ratified, the Soviets in effect seemed to be giving up on filibuster tactics to prevent a discussion of human rights...

...In addition, however, the more relaxed situation is attributable to the changed American attitude...

...and, albeit timidly, a number of Western European nations...

...For Belgrade could prove the beginning of a novel self-generating normative process in international law, in which the rights and welfare of the individual, rather than the interests of the state, will become the central focus...

...Principle Seven, though, declares that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms "is an essential factor for peace, justice and well-being necessary to insure the development of friendly relations and cooperation" among the nations of the world...

...This has important legal implications as well, for it clearly establishes the Western and neutral position in the "Principle Six versus Principle Seven" argument...

...Today, no one can predict the long-term results of Belgrade...

...The Kremlin interpretation is that no state may comment on the relations between another government and its citizens, particularly if that government happens to be Communist...

...Besides such fundamental questions as restricting freedom to travel, freedom of expression, etc., two specific matters have gained wide attention among the delegates...

...Nevertheless, by the second week of the meeting there were signs that the West, and especially the United States, did not intend to appease Soviet sensitivities at any cost...