Lithuanian-American Community, Inc - PRESS RELEASE

Regarding Russian Nuclear Weapons and the events of February 13th

January 8, 2001

     The Lithuanian American Community, Inc., representing over 800,000 Americans of Lithuanian heritage, is alarmed at recent media reports that Russia is moving short range nuclear weapons into Kaliningrad, a Baltic enclave bordering Lithuania and Poland.  If the reports are true, Russia would be going back on its prior commitment to remove all nuclear weapons from the Baltic region. Such a development could only be interpreted as an attempt by Russia to assert its military dominance in the area and to intimidate its neighbors by implicitly threatening the use of military force.  The result could only sour relations between the United States, its western European allies and Russia, resulting in a net loss of security for all. 

       The best way to prevent the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia from becoming a new zone of contention would be to integrate them into the European and Transatlantic community of nations. By admitting Lithuania, and the other Baltic countries into the European Union and NATO, the Baltics would become a zone of stability, not potential conflict. The result would be a net gain in security and prosperity for all, including Russia

Ten years ago in Vilnius, Lithuania, soldiers of the then Soviet Army killed 14 unarmed civilians and injured 230 others in one of the last ditch attempts aimed at preventing the reemergence of national independence in Lithuania.  In the pre-dawn hours of that January 13 morning, tanks were used to run over unarmed protestors who tried to prevent the city’s pro-independence television from being taken over and shut down.  The soldiers succeeded in occupying the TV facilities on that day but ultimately the voices of freedom prevailed.

The Vilnius violence only served to arouse worldwide indignation. Further protests and more violence followed.  Accusations flew against then Soviet President Gorbachev and his leadership.  Eventually Boris Yeltsin, as president of the Russian Federation, signed a declaration on behalf of Russia recognizing the sovereignty of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Ten years later, the Vilnius events remain relevant despite the collapse of the Soviet Union. Although the Soviet Union is no more, some of its least attractive traits, the very ones that brought about the Vilnius violence, seem to linger on.  Russia’s political and military leaders continue to use force, or the threat of force, as a blunt instrument in seeking their geostrategic goals.  The reported emplacement of nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad may be but the latest example of such intimidation. 

The use of force was ineffective in Vilnius ten years ago. The threat of it can be no more effective now.

Revised: October 29, 2002
by Voras
http://lithuanian-american.org/