Nativ, the government body in charge of promoting immigration from the former Soviet Union, will extend its field of operations to include Russian-speaking Jews in Germany, an interministerial committee has decided.

The committee approved the decision over the objections of both the Jewish Agency, which formerly had sole responsibility for this community, and the umbrella organization of German Jewry. However, in a sop to the agency, the committee rejected Nativ's request to be allowed to deal with Russian-speakers in America as well. A decision on Russian-speakers in Canada will be made at a later date.

According to the decision, Nativ and the Jewish Agency will cooperate in running ulpans (Hebrew courses) and other educational programs in Germany, which is home to some 200,000 Russian-speaking Jews who moved there from the Former Soviet Union in recent years. Absorption Minister Ze'ev Boim, who also opposed the decision, charged that such duplication is wasteful.

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Nativ has long sought permission to operate in Germany, but was blocked by Jewish Agency opposition. Recently, however, Nativ was transferred from the Prime Minister's Office to the new Strategic Affairs Ministry, headed by Avigdor Lieberman, who has said in the past that he favors replacing the American-dominated Jewish Agency with Nativ entirely. The interministerial committee was headed by the director general of Lieberman's ministry, Hagai Peleg.