APPEAL

APPEAL APPEAL BY THE BALTIC ASSEMBLY ABOUT THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE RUSSIAN ARMY FROM THE TERRITORIES OF THE BALTIC STATES Despite the many requests by the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Estonia and the Republic of Latvia, the Baltic Assembly and the Council of the Baltic States for the unconditional and immediate withdrawal of the Russian army from the Baltic States, the withdrawal has essentially not begun. In addition, by not obeying Baltic State laws or government resolutions, their sovereignty is still being violated since new Russian soldiers and officers are being brought in. Russia is refusing to hand over state border protection to Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. This creates the impression that Russia is interested in keeping its army in the Baltic States for a long duration. This poses a danger to the security of the people, hinders the Baltic States from implementing a successful economy and social reforms, from developing democracy and from fortifying independence. The furnace of tension by the Baltic may become an additional factor for instability in Europe. The Baltic Assembly, understanding its responsibility for the security and stability in Europe and the world, appeals to all parliaments and inter-parliamentary organizations, requesting them to draw their attention to the fact that Russia continues to violate the sovereign rights of the Baltic States and assist in the complete liquidation of the criminal Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and its consequences. The Baltic Assembly considers it is expedient for the CSCE representatives to participate, as authoritative observers, in bilateral negotiations, between Russia and the Baltic States regarding the withdrawal of the Russian Army. The Baltic Assembly appeals to the CSCE recommending that these principles be drawn into the documents to be presented in Helsinki for discussion by the leaders of the CSCE member-states. - A CSCE member-state must immediately fulfill the demands of another CSCE member-state that the army be withdrawn from the territory of the former immediately and unconditionally; in the opposite case, .it will be considered by the CSCE members to be violating CSCE principles. Participating CSCE member-states will consider any army which is unlawfully present in another state on the territory of another member-state, as posing a danger to the region's security and stability and this region will be considered to be a region of potential conflict. - CSCE members will discuss methods for how the danger can be eliminated through the Helsinki Process mechanism. Baltic Assembly Baltic Assembly Baltic Assembly Presidium Chairman Deputy Presidium Deputy Presidium Chairman Chairman Aurimas TAURANTAS Maris BUDOVSKIS UIo NUGIS (Lithuania) (Latvia) (Estonia) Palanga, May 31, 1992