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Latvia's Parliament moves to prohibit Soviet Army manoeuvres in Riga, January 13, 1992

Latvia's Parliament moves to prohibit Soviet Army manoeuvres in Riga, January 13, 1992

Riga, Latvia – Jan. 13 – Latvia's Supreme Council (parliament) and Council of Ministers met today to react to weekend announcements that former USSR armed forces located in Latvia would be holding military training exercises on Tuesday, January 14. According to the Latvian parliament, these exercises would require the relocation of troops and corresponding military equipment on many major streets in Riga. The exercises had not been coordinated with any level of the Latvian government, apart a notice requesting traffic control sent to the Chairman of the Riga Executive Committee, Andrejs Inkulis. Since neither the Russian Federative Republic nor any other member state of the Commonwealth of Independent States has yet claimed responsibility for the welfare and withdrawal of these former USSR armed forces in Latvia, the Supreme Council today adopted the following decree:

Republic of Latvia, Supreme Council Presidium and Council of Ministers

Decree

Taking in account that the former USSR North-West Military Forces Command has actually begun military forces training exercises without any coordination on a diplomatic or inter-governmental level which are connected with the relocation of military forces and military equipment in Riga, the capital of the Republic of Latvia, and in all of Latvia's territory, as well as taking in account that the presence of the North-West Military Force is illegal and has the nature of an occupation, the Republic of Latvia Supreme Council Presidium and the Council of Ministers decide:

1. To not allow any manoeuvres or unsanctioned relocation of the former USSR armed forces in the Republic of Latvia capital Riga and in the entire territory of Latvia.
2. The Republic of Latvia Defence Ministry, Republic of Latvia Interior Ministry, Republic of Latvia Supreme Council Security Guard, the headquarters of the Republic of Latvia National Guard, and the local government are to control and realise the execution of this decree.
3. The Republic of Latvia Foreign Ministry is to submit a protest note to the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
4.This decree is effective at the moment of its adoption.

A.Gorbunovs, Chairman, Supreme Council, Republic of Latvia,
I.Godmanis, Chairman, Council of Ministers, Republic of Latvia
Riga – January 13

Source:
fax of the Press release of the Legation of Latvia in Washington.