Latvia, 1994

Allow me to congratulate

you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General

Assembly at its forty-ninth session and to wish you every

success in leading this august body. May this session be

constructive and productive for you and all delegations.

New geopolitical, economic and technological realities

have appeared at the close of the twentieth century. The

destructive cold war has come to an end and its symbol -

the Berlin Wall - has collapsed. The insuppressible

long-held yearnings of many peoples for freedom and

independence led in the end to the disintegration of even

the seemingly indestructible Soviet empire, clearly

reaffirming the lasting strength and integrity of the

principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations -

peace, equality and justice. That is why this Organization

has always played and will continue to play a role in

furthering the progress of nations, as evidenced by its vast

undertakings in the maintenance of international peace

and security, as well as its efforts to increase the

well-being of society and every individual.

Two years ago, the Secretary-General in his report

"An Agenda for Peace", comprehensively analysed

aspects related to the maintenance of peace and security.

This report led to a broad debate on concepts such as

preventive diplomacy, peace-keeping, peacemaking and

post-conflict peace-building. Preventive diplomacy by the

United Nations and other organizations undoubtedly

furthered the resolution of a very difficult issue for Latvia

and all of Europe - the withdrawal of foreign military

forces from the territories of the Baltic States.

With satisfaction I should like to report to the

General Assembly that, on the whole, General Assembly

consensus resolutions 47/21 of 25 November 1992 and

48/18 of 15 November 1993, entitled "Complete

withdrawal of foreign military forces from the territories

of the Baltic States", have been implemented. The last

Russian military units departed Latvia and Estonia at the

end of August. Thus, the Second World War has ended

for the Baltic States. Our bilateral negotiations with the

Russian Federation, which lasted for more than two years,

culminated with the signing on 30 April 1994 of

agreements the ratification of which has been included in

the agenda of the Parliament of Latvia.

I can state with full conviction that the international

calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops, made by the

United Nations and the Conference on Security and

Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), amongst others, were

pivotal to the successful resolution of this long drawn-out

matter.

We believe that this approach may be useful as an

example for the resolution of other global issues and we are

prepared to share our experience with others.

The United Nations and the CSCE will continue to

have an important role in the implementation of the

agreements. According to the bilateral agreement between

Latvia and Russia on the Skrunda radar facility, any attempt

to settle disputes or differences of opinion connected with

the agreement by means of military threats or by the use of

armed force shall be considered a threat to international

peace and security and shall be brought before the United

Nations Security Council. For its part, representatives of

the CSCE will observe the implementation of the

agreements and the fulfilment of the respective parties’

obligations.

However, we have yet to exhaust the opportunities for

preventive diplomacy in the Baltic region. Baltic regional

security continues to be a pressing issue. On his visit to

Latvia last summer, Mr. William Clinton, President of the

United States of America, stressed that the sovereign and

independent Baltic States must not be part of any sphere of

influence. It must be noted that President Clinton played

a vital role in disentangling problems which had developed

during negotiations with the Russian Federation on the

withdrawal of its troops from Estonia and Latvia.

I should like to remind the international community

that the Russian radar facility will remain in Skrunda for

five and a half years, and nuclear reactors will remain in

Paldiski, Estonia. Heavy Russian military transit takes

place through Lithuania to Kaliningrad, where a high

military concentration is maintained. On the whole, these

are risk factors which potentially threaten the Baltic States

and, in fact, the entire Baltic Sea region. In many respects,

Baltic security is a guarantee for peace and stability in

Europe. The Baltic States are already considering the

possible solutions to this important question, and I hope

that the Member States will devote their full attention and

interest to these ends.

A significant dialogue between our two countries has

concluded with the completion of Russian troop withdrawal

from Latvia. Thanks to the support of many countries and

international organizations, Latvia today is free from

foreign military presence. Nevertheless, without the

foresight and the civility displayed by both parties, we

could not stand here today and speak of social harmony

and tolerance in Latvia, nor could we say that both Latvia

and the Russian Federation have one less problem to

address. Last spring, when I met with President Yeltsin

in Moscow, I gained the conviction that in solving our

problem he was guided by good will.

In 1995, Europe and the world will celebrate the

fiftieth anniversary of the Allied victory over nazism.

Latvians, too, fought against Hitler’s occupying forces in

the belief that an Allied victory would be followed by the

restoration of Latvian independence. However, whilst

many nations breathed freely again after the end of the

Nazi occupation, the Baltic States were engulfed for the

second time by the totalitarian Soviet empire. As other

nations celebrated the defeat of nazism, Latvia was

subjected to the deportation of hundreds of thousands of

innocent persons and the systematic destruction of the

Latvian State and national identity. Latvia and its people

are the victims of both regimes - nazism and communism.

Justice would prevail if the new democratic Russia,

which played a decisive role in the destruction of the

"Evil Empire", were to engage with Latvia in the

appraisal of the actions taken by the Soviet Union against

Latvia in 1940. The signing of truthful bilateral

documents would preclude any petty psychological

feelings of revenge and would provide amends to the

victims of the totalitarian regime in both countries. These

"truth" documents would foster even greater harmony

between the various nationalities in Latvia and, we

believe, lift some of Russia’s unenviable inherited burden.

Such cases already exist. The documents signed by

the Presidents of Russia and several Central and Eastern

European States have marked an end to the legacy of the

past, which had also been a burden to Russian society.

We believe that it is impossible to fully comprehend

the consequences of the Soviet occupation without an

objective analysis of the events of 1939 and 1940. These

consequences have been and continue to be felt in Latvia

in the areas of political, economic and social

development. No other country lost nearly 40 per cent of

its native population during the Second World War; in no

other post-war European country has the native population

become a minority in seven of its largest cities, including

the capital; and no other country has experienced

population transfers and mass deportations on such a

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scale. The Latvian language, too, was under threat of

extinction, despite the fact that it had survived for 4,000

years, partly in the form of a unique collection of more

than one million folk songs. We wish to protect Latvia’s

historical and cultural heritage, because Latvians can

preserve their national identity only in this small land on

the shores of the Baltic Sea. Latvians never have and never

will ask for any other land.

I should like to draw the Assembly’s attention to the

necessity for regional cooperation. History has repeatedly

shown that geographically and historically close States have

forged the deepest relations, thereby enriching and

furthering mutual development.

Following the restoration of independence, the Baltic

Parliamentary Assembly was formed, and this month work

was begun by the Baltic Council of Ministers, which

coordinates our policies in foreign affairs, trade, legislation

and other matters. In other words, a balanced and active

Baltic union has been created. At the same time, an

evolutionary process towards an expanded European Union

with a dynamic Nordic-Baltic dimension is taking place.

The model for regional cooperation in Northern Europe

aspired to by Latvia is "three plus five" - three Baltic States

and five Nordic States.

Recognizing the important role played by the United

Nations in international peace-keeping, Latvia, together with

its neighbours, Estonia and Lithuania, has established the

Baltic Battalion, which in the future may participate in the

peace-keeping operations of the Security Council. The

Nordic States, the United Kingdom and the United States

have greatly contributed to the establishment of the Baltic

Battalion. We believe that the three Baltic States will

thereby further the aims shared by the Member States of

the largest and most influential of international bodies - the

United Nations.

During the cold war the Baltic Sea was a boundary.

Nowadays the Baltic Sea unites rather than divides States.

Five years ago the "Baltic Way" - a human chain reaching

from Tallinn through Riga to Vilnius - symbolized the

shared road towards independence and democracy. Today

this road has also regained its historical and economic

significance in our region. At the turn of the century the

Baltic Way will already be an established part of the global

information highway.

I wish to reaffirm that Latvia will do its utmost to

foster peaceful cooperation and the spirit of understanding,

mutual trust and tolerance on the shores of the Baltic Sea.

International peace and security and good-

neighbourly relations between States are inextricably

linked to economic and social development. The end of

the cold war has created new opportunities to devote

greater attention to these issues. Last spring the

Secretary-General issued a report (A/48/935) entitled

"An Agenda for Development". Latvia welcomes this

initiative, which marks a historic turning point in the

work of the United Nations. From being an international

forum primarily serving the interests of individual States,

the United Nations is becoming a representative and

defender of the needs of humanity. Economic and social

development increases the security of every inhabitant of

our planet.

We believe that the United Nations and each

Member State should recognize the need not only for a

coalition for democracy, but also for a fight against

organized crime and the trafficking of nuclear materials

and narcotics. Without effective solutions to these

problems, the security of each inhabitant of our planet

and the development of every country and society are

endangered. I invite the United Nations to consider

organizing a high-level meeting for the solving of those

problems.

Many components of the United Nations system,

primarily the Development Programme, are concerned

with the promotion of economic progress. Therefore,

within the framework of the aims of the proposed Agenda

for Development, one of the challenges is to simplify,

renew and integrate the United Nations system. Latvia is

among those countries whose economic, governmental

and social structures are undergoing a period of transition.

Effective United Nations assistance to these countries

would speed this process, allowing them to become donor

countries sooner.

The concept of development is very broad. It

includes social and economic progress; justice and

democracy, as the foundation of society; and the

protection of human rights and the environment. Even if

the threat of global nuclear war has subsided, the prospect

of environmental catastrophe remains. I therefore restate

Latvia’s proposal, first made at the 1992 Rio de Janeiro

Earth Summit, to host in Latvia before the end of this

century a world summit at which participating States

would commit themselves to diverting all resources

gained from disarmament towards long-term development,

especially for the protection of the environment and

reversal of ecological damage caused by military activity.

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This conference could take place in Jurmala, on the shores

of the Baltic Sea.

Latvia attaches great importance to international

conferences organized by the United Nations. As a

member of the Bureau of the Preparatory Committee,

Latvia has become actively involved in the preparation for

the World Social Summit. Furthermore, Latvia is one of

the few States whose head of delegation is also a Vice-

President of the Conference.

Each global conference is an opportunity for every

participating State to review and compare the sum of its

experience. The issue of implementing the adopted

resolutions at both the national and international levels is

yet to be fully addressed. I would like to inform the

Assembly of the extent of Latvia’s adherence to the

recommendations adopted at the World Conference on

Human Rights. In its Vienna Declaration and Programme

of Action the Conference invited States to establish and

strengthen national institutions for the protection of human

rights. The Conference recommended that each State

consider the desirability of drawing up a national action

plan identifying steps whereby that State would improve the

promotion and protection of human rights.

Latvia demonstrated its commitment to United Nations

principles and its readiness to implement the

recommendations of the Conference by establishing in

March 1994 the post of State Minister for Human Rights,

as well as forming a Government Working Group on the

Protection of the Rights of Individuals, allocating the

necessary resources towards these ends. We believe that

the United Nations should devote a greater percentage of its

regular budget to the promotion and protection of human

rights.

In response to a request by the Working Group, a

high-level international mission organized by the United

Nations Development Programme visited Latvia in July this

year. The mission, which included representatives of

several international organizations, including CSCE and the

Council of Europe, consulted Latvia on the development of

a national programme for the protection and promotion of

human rights. At Latvia’s invitation, the United Nations

High Commissioner for Human Rights will visit Latvia in

October this year.

I am proud that Latvia is one of the first countries to

have demonstrated an awareness of its responsibility by

establishing a national programme for the protection and

promotion of human rights. Latvia is prepared to discuss

and share its knowledge and experience with all interested

parties.

We support the proposal made to the General

Assembly by Mr. Boris Yeltsin, President of the Russian

Federation, that the principles of the Declaration on the

Rights of Persons Belonging to National, Ethnic,

Religious and Linguistic Minorities be embodied in the

legislation of all Member States. At the World

Conference on Human Rights Latvia called for the

establishment of standards and implementation

mechanisms for the rights of minorities and foreigners.

Those activities in the sphere of human rights are

grounded in history. Prior to the Second World War, as

a member of the League of Nations, Latvia fostered

harmonious inter-ethnic relations. We are now trying to

renew and cultivate this great tradition. Immediately after

the restoration of its independence Latvia declared its

accession to all the principal international human rights

instruments. As I have already mentioned, a major effort

is being made in the establishment of a national

programme for the promotion and protection of the

human rights of the individual in order that every

individual be guaranteed equal rights and an equal

opportunity to defend these rights. I believe that the

concept of equal opportunity not only characterizes the

fundamental rights of the individual, but is also a

prerequisite for development.

Latvia has always been open to cooperation with the

United Nations, the CSCE and other international

organizations. Latvia reaffirmed this when it passed its

Citizenship Law. In promulgating this legislation, it

followed the recommendations of the CSCE and the

Council of Europe, and the passing of the law has been

evaluated positively by these organizations.

The need for rationalizing and revitalizing the work

of the United Nations is becoming ever more apparent.

Latvia is actively participating in the search for optimal

solutions. Latvia supports the enlargement of the Security

Council, perceiving this as a fair opportunity for small

nations to increase their role in important international

decision-making. Latvia also supports the improvement

of cooperation and coordination between the United

Nations and other international organizations, including

the CSCE, the European Union and the Council of

Europe.

We also welcome and support the action taken by

the Secretary-General to introduce a new, effective system

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of accountability and responsibility, and, pursuant to the

United States initiative, to establish the Office of Internal

Oversight Services.

Latvia supports especially the initiative to reform the

calculation of United Nations assessments, based strictly on

the principle of "capacity to pay". This would be a step

towards improving the dire financial situation of the

Organization and would pave the way for a fair solution to

the issue of the assessments of Latvia and many other

States.

Although the inescapable difficulties associated with

a transition period can still be felt in our economy and

social sector, Latvia is endeavouring to fulfil its

international obligations and commitments. However,

contrary to standard United Nations practice, the current

assessment of Latvia has been calculated without taking

into account its actual capacity to pay. Instead, the data of

a non-existent country - the former Soviet Union - has been

used to determine Latvia’s assessment. Latvia has

consistently and unwaveringly stated that it was forcibly

incorporated into the former Soviet Union and therefore is

not, and cannot ever be, its successor, with all the rights

and obligations that this would entail. This was also stated

in a letter to the Secretary-General in 1992.

Latvia expects that the General Assembly will address

this issue in the course of this session on the basis of the

principle of sovereign equality.

We consider that the same importance should be

accorded to the United Nations principle of universality.

Next year, the world will celebrate the fiftieth

anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Latvia,

too, has begun preparations for this great anniversary. We

hope that the Riga Dom Boys Choir will sing at the

celebration concert to be held here in New York. This

would be deeply symbolic, since future generations will

shape the fate of nations. In many ways their fate will be

decided by the heritage we leave to our children. We must

do our utmost to draw closer to the age when nations will

not fight against nations, but all will join forces in the

battle against darkness. This sentiment, which has been

drawn deep from the well of our national wisdom, seems to

embody the essence of the United Nations now and in the

future.