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Appeal To the Residents of the Baltic States and the Soviet Military Officers

Appeal To the Residents of the Baltic States and the Soviet Military Officers

We, members of the Supreme Councils of though Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia, and the Republic of Lithuania, gathered in Vilnius, the capital of the Republic of Lithuania, have resolved to adopt the following appeal:

The presence of USSR armed forces on the territories of the Republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, is a legacy of the aggression committed by the Soviet Union against the Baltic States. Our nations' struggle for the withdrawal of these soviet armed forces is, therefore, an integral part of the struggle for the complete restoration of our independent statehood. Soviet officers in the Baltic countries come to be turning into hostages of continuing imperial policies.

We do not, however, regard each and every Soviet military officer or his family as personal enemies of our nations.

We believe that peaceful dialogue, demanding great patience, offers greater opportunity than harsh accusations delivered at the gates of military facilities, even if such accusations are legitimate.

In demanding the withdrawal of the Soviet armed forces, we will not take actions that could demean the dignity and the human rights of their families. At the same time, we cannot enter into pledges or garnets for the provision by our states of the material and social needs of an uncontrolled flood of officers and their families.

We advocate clarification of the status, according to International legal practice, of the USSR armed forces temporarily located on the territory of the Baltic States.

We urge Soviet military officers to maintain adherence to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of our states, and ask that they respect our laws and resist attempts to use the military against peaceful residents.

Signed by the Presiding Chairmen of the joint session:

Arnold Ruutel
Chairman Supreme Council Republic of Estonia

Anatolijs Gorbunovs
Chairman Supreme Council Republic of Latvia

Vytautas Landsbergis
President Supreme Council Republic of Lithuania

Vilnius, 1. December 1990

Source:
copies du texte sign� � travers l�Association des lettons des Etats-Unis