Seminar, April 29th

Independence Regained - The Baltic States Back to the World Map

Time: Thursday April 29th 2010 at 15:00 followed by a reception at 17:00
Venue: Aleksanteri Institute, Unioninkatu 33, 3rd floor

Seminar news

That the Baltic States would regain their independence was not self-evident. In the opening address, Lithuanian Minister for Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis (photo) thanked Finland for supporting Lithuania during its independence struggle and stated that today Russia should concentrate on the area east of the Baltic countries instead of Georgia. He added that the safety of the professional journalists should be guaranteed.

As a topic, Russia was picked up on several occasions. Rein Müllerson (photo) of Tallinn’s University Nord mentioned that it would be unwise not to react to the signs of positive development in Russia; one should approach Russia with open minds…and eyes. He also suggested that the Baltic and the Nordic countries could be united as a joint power in the northern EU.

Ambassador Jaakko Blomberg spoke about Finland’s difficult position during the Baltic struggle for independence. He reminded listeners that despite having a close relationship with Estonia, Finland had to balance to also sustain a good relationship with the Soviet Union. Therefore the position of the Baltic States as parts of Soviet Union was not openly questioned.

 

Professor Atis Lejiņš from the Latvian Institute of International Affairs spoke about the role of Sweden during the independence  process. The Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs visited all three Baltic countries in 1989-1990 to see the situation there for himself. The Swedish consulates were located in Tallinn and in Riga and a three-man popular front visited Stockholm and received a training there, which would later prove to be important in the elections.

Egidijus Aleksandravičius, Atis Lejiņš and Jaakko Blomberg

 

Professor Egidijus Aleksandravičius from the Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas spoke about the theme of unity; some sense of solidarity between people of the Baltic States emerged with independence process. He regretted that soon after independence was regained, this solidarity lost its momentum and was replaced by fierce competition. He concluded by saying “Maybe now is the right time to change the concept of the Baltic countries and leave Russia behind.”

Text: Marjo Kauppinen, Jouni Järvinen
Photos: Erkka Lehto

Programme

15:00 Opening Speech
Lithuanian Minister for Foreign Affairs Audronius Azubalis.

15:15 Panel discussion

• Chair: Prof. Markku Kivinen, Aleksanteri Institute  

• Estonia: Rein Müllerson, Rector, University Nord, Tallinn. Independence Regained: entirely subjective personal reminiscences and some relatively objective legal fictions

• Finland: Jaakko Blomberg, Ambassador, Member of the Advisory Board, Aleksanteri Institute. Finland between Moscow and the Baltics.

• Latvia: Atis Lejiņš, Dr.sc.pol.h.c, Professor, Latvian Institute of International Affairs. Nordic countries and restoration of Baltic independence. Case study – Sweden.

• Lithuania: Egidijus Aleksandravicius, Professor, Vytautas Magnus University (Kaunas), Department of the Lithuanian History, Director of the Lithuanian Emigration Institute. The Singing Revolution and Destiny of the Baltic Unity.

Discussion

Closing Words
Prof. Markku Kivinen, Aleksanteri Institute.

17:00 Reception

Organisers: Aleksanteri Institute, the Estonian Embassy in Helsinki, the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Helsinki and the Embassy of the republic of Lithuania.

Seminar audience filled the festive premises of the Aleksanteri Institute

Contact person
Marjo Kauppinen
tel. +358 9 191 23 657
email marjo.a.kauppinen at helsinki.fi