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Tallin May 14, 1989 : Agreement on common aims and intentions of co-operation

Representatives of the Boards of the popular movements of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania from the organisations Eestimaa Rahvarinne, Tautas Fronte, Sajudis conducted mutual political consultations, at the close of which they adopted the following
Agreement on common aims and intentions of co-operation

AGREEMENT on common aims and intentions of co-operation

The Parties to the consultations came to a consensus in the following clauses:

ARTICLE ONE
The popular movements are convinced that the realisation of the inalienable right of nations to self-determination, to historical choice, to state sovereignty can only be achieved through united efforts. The community of the historical fates of the Baltic nations, shared interpretation of the basic principles of statehood and humanistic attitude of power to man unites the Contracting Parties in the name of determining common aims and means to attain them. The Movements are confident that the realisation of these principles serves the development of true political restructuring in the Soviet Union for the good of all peoples inhabiting it.

The Movements, signatories of the Agreement unconditionally recognise:

a) the principle of non-interference in one another's affairs;

b) the right of each nation to its own historical choice;

c) the right of each nation to independently determine its form of government.

ARTICLE TWO
The Contracting Parties unconditionally condemn the political consequences for the state sovereignty of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia of the secret protocols of the Molotov-Ribbentrop treaties and subsequent acts committed by the USSR in violation of international law and humanistic legal standards. The Contracting Parties share the view that the incorporation of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia into the USSR was the result of their annexation and lacks, as before, any legal foundations.

ARTICLE THREE
The Parties are of the opinion that due to the community of their interests and conditions their national economic systems would benefit from integration. For the protection of the economies of the Baltic states the Parties regard it as expedient to aspire not only after the creation of separate national economic systems, but additionally to discuss:

- development of the division of labour between the Baltic states on the basis of establishing a close economic integration;

- co-ordinated realisation of foreign political and foreign trade functions.

ARTICLE FOUR
The Contracting Parties consider it useful for the restoration of normal economic relations and integration of mutual interests:

- to create a common Baltic market;

- to create a common Baltic mutual economic assistance and crediting system;

- to refrain from economic confrontation on state level;

- to create a common Baltic information network.

ARTICLE FIVE
The Contracting Parties regard it as their obligation to achieve step by step demilitarisation of their territories and express readiness to render each other assistance in the realisation of this objective.

ARTICLE SIX
The Parties to the Agreement on co-operation appeal to their compatriots abroad for the same kind of co-operation in the name of the future of our peoples.

ARTICLE SEVEN
The said development perspective of Baltic co-operation is not directed against anyone, but is proclaimed as an expression of the goodwill of our Movements. Any act directed against activity corresponding to these ideas will be qualified by us as being contrary to our right and our freedom.

The Parties oblige to render each other assistance in their activity, to share hardship and problems, and to step out in support and defence of each other.

ARTICLE EIGHT
With a view to further development of co-operation, exchange of experience and information, and co-ordination of their activity the Parties will create, on the basis of parity, a tripartite commission of the Popular Front of Estonia, the Popular Front of Latvia and the Lithuanian Reform Movement Sajudis.

Tallinn, May l4th, 1989

On the behalf of the Council of Representatives of the Popular Front of Estonia
Edgar Savisaar Board Member

On the behalf of the Duma of the Popular Front of Latvia
Dainis Ivans Chairman

On the behalf of the Seimas of the Lithuanian Reform Movement Sajudis
Vytautas Landsbergis Chairman of the Seim Council

Source:
Baltic Assembly, Tallin, May 13-14, 1989, Popular Front of Estonia, Valgus Publishers 1989