A parliamentary committee today approved a bill that would allow all Soviet citizens to travel abroad freely, sending the measure to the Supreme Soviet for debate, the official news agency Tass said. Under provisions of the bill, permission will not be required for Soviets to leave and return, either for short trips or permanent residence abroad, Tass said. ``A passport for traveling abroad will be issued for a period of five years to whoever applies for it,'' Tass said. ``The time abroad will be determined by the citizen himself.'' Only state security considerations, criminal proceedings or incarceration could prevent a person from being issued a passport, the news agency said. Additionaly, access to classified materials would allow the Soviet government to deny an individual a passport for only five years, Tass said. ``A citizen may lodge an appeal with any authority, up to the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet, against a refussal to issue a foreign travel passport,'' Tass said. The bill was introduced by Fyodor Burlatsky, a Supreme Soviet deputy and well-known political commentator, who called it ``a major indicator of democratization in the Soviet Union.'' Committee members said they would insist that the bill be adopted at the current session of the Supreme Soviet legislature, which ends in late April. Members also warned against delay in solving issues related to the passport bill, including rules on exchanging money and buying airline tickets. Unless flying on the state-run airline Aeroflot or its joint ventue partner Pan Am, Soviets seeking to travel abroad must pay in hard currency. Under newly introduced tourist exchange rates, a $1,000 airline ticket would cost a Soviet traveler about 6,000 rubles on a foreign airline. The Aeroflot and Pan Am flights are sold out for more than a year in advance. Last year, 235,000 people left the country for permanent residence abroad and that 2 million Soviets took short trips abroad, including 300,000 travelers to the West, Burlatsky said.
