LETTONIE - RUSSIE, Traités et documents de base

Tallin May 14, 1989 : Appeal to the Democratic Movements of the Soviet Union

Appeal to the Democratic Movements of the Soviet Union

We, legal representatives of the Popular Fronts of the Baltic republics, appeal to all democratic movements based on civic initiative in the Soviet Union with a message of goodwill.

The restructuring of social life in the USSR which started in 1985 is continuing. In the stream of that process mass popular movements expressing the reason and will of citizens of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were born in the Baltic republics in 1988.

We are struggling for full de-stalinization of social life, for social justice, for national and human rights recognised in international law.

It is impossible to overlook the fact that conservative forces hostile to perestroika have recently been growing more and more active and aggressive, aiming to direct the main blow against the democratic aspirations of peoples.

We are convinced that alongside that process of broadening openness, mass democratic movements are the only guarantor of the continuation and irreversibility of the radical restructuring of society.

We believe in the power of democracy and goodwill of the reviving peoples of the Soviet Union. We believe in historical justice, in the victory of reason over coercion. We believe that by means of joint efforts we shah build a future based on mutual understanding and respect.

Tallinn, May l4th, 1989

On the behalf of the Council of Representatives of the Popular Front of Estonia
On the behalf of the Duma of the Popular Front of Latvia
On the behalf of the Seimas of the Lithuanian Reform Movement Sajudis

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