Vytautas Landsbergis
Ladies and Gentlemen,
About 13 years ago three Baltic nations, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, moved forwards to fulfil their task, which must have seemed then to be impossible: to restore and continue their independent statehood, which had been denounced 50 years ago as a result of Hitler-Stalin conspiracy of 1939-1940.
I do not intend to make a survey of all the efforts and events that led to our desired freedom, regained dignity and open society, as well as other great changes that occurred in all Central-Eastern Europe.
There are several principal matters or basics related to our European Baltic today and to-morrow, which I indeed want to touch upon.
The Soviet Union used to dominate over Europe for long decades either as a post-Yaltan oppressor or a terrifying giant beyond the fence, which you could never forget here, in the West, or push out of your minds even while sleeping. The presence of that huge red shadow, of that continued international uncertainty, threat, forced accommodation of democracies with nuclear totalitarianism, a sort of conformity with the evil, - all this seemed to be a guarantee of our endured slavery and beginning of your slavery. The free part of Europe responded to that challenge by creating its own economic and social Community, as well as Alliance of Atlantic security.
There were two Europes, one of democracies and the other of communism. We all had to overcome this division, and perhaps half of this job is already done. My country Lithuania contributed to this, together with her neighbours in the North and South - with Latvia, Estonia and Poland.
As you know, Lithuania held first free general elections in February 1990. Immediately afterwards democratically elected representatives of the nation proclaimed restoration of independence of Lithuania. This happened on 11 March 1990. Commemorating that event (followed by the success for all three Baltic and even more States), the Congress of the USA issued on 8 March 2000 its Concurrent Resolution of both the Houses stating that the Congress "congratulates Lithuania on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the reestablishment of its independence and the leading role it played in the disintegration of the former Soviet Union."
Such valuation can be treated and further elaborated ambivalently. As usually, there always are two options.
If the Baltic States went out destroying the soviet "prison of nations" with its long-lasting continental colonialism, then this action and process should be treated positively. If those bad guys "helped CIA" to destroy a fine, exciting superpower - a symbol of the bright future for all the progressive mankind, - then it was really fatal destruction for which they (the Baltic States) should be responsible.
If they restored and went on to develop normal relations with their eastern neighbour Russia, - the relations that had been destroyed by Stalin's aggressive expansionism, - then this normalisation was made rightly for a better and democratic all-European future. Should they, the Baltic States, be denounced of their continued sovereignty and treated as new-borns, then Mother Russia has nothing to apologize for but wants to be authorised to educate and order those ungrateful children. "No" to NATO, "no" to soviet war crimes, etc.
Because the Russian empire is still alive and prevailing in the souls of its militant politicians, these second options and alternatives of perception are appreciated in the Kremlin and still do act badly in the mind of the Russian political elite. I hope, not in the European.
There is no need to remind concretely and citing the sources how often the Baltic States were condemned and threatened by Russian top politicians because of bad behaviour of those nicknamed "Pribalts", of their "revanchism" and "rewriting of history" (these are real quotations!), not to mention the fact that a strange legislation still does exist in Russia about us.
I am sure, Ladies and gentlemen, you realise that all this was not about the past but about the present and the future.
We are now at the threshold to the European Union and NATO. We want to co-operate and contribute with Euro-Atlantic democracies, at the same time consistently building good relations with Russia. What does "good relations" mean in a normal sense? Of course, those of equals, marked by good will and mutual understanding. For the Kremlin, so it seems, good relations mean subordination.
You may ask: is it possible and achievable for those smaller to be on an equal foot with that big one? It is, when we are in NATO. Then we will indeed have good, normal relations and flourishing co-operativeness with Russia. No more imperialistic temptations, no fear and mistrust.
So, because of this fact, our strive to be inside of United Democracies, which is NATO, occur positive for Europe and also for Russia of the future. Appeasement of Europeans with Russia of the past, denying our freedom, would be a great mistake.
Now the final point. When we are looking at the post-war map of Europe, we note there a part of Russia outside Russia proper. That is Stalin's last conquest - Kaliningrad region.
We cannot be indifferent if there, in the heart of Europe, an area of stagnation, misfortune, industrial and military pollution and threatening diseases remains outside progress.
This land, which means its Russian-speaking new inhabitants, has to be given a chance to rule itself in a more autonomous way, co-operating in Europe with great potential benefits for itself. If Russian metropolis stops this trend trying to isolate its exclave from the European neighbourhood, standing again on military and offensive options, it appears anachronistic and for stands nothing but tension. Lithuania co-operates well with Kaliningrad (which was founded by German conquerors on an old Baltic soil). Lithuania assists the people and governing bodies there in various aspects, but for a real and efficient progress all-European attention and co-operation with Kaliningrad district is badly needed.
Thank you for your kind attention to my remarks.
