Conference in Tallinn, June 01st, 2013

“IN DEFENSE OF THE PEACE TREATY OF TARTU OF 1920”
D E C L A R A T I O N

The present government of the Republic of Estonia intends to cede five percent of Estonia’s territory to Russia through a new border treaty.

Paragraph §122 of Estonia’s Constitution states: “Estonia’s land border with Russia is fixed by the Peace Treaty of Tartu of February 02nd, 1920”; subsequently the Peace Treaty was recognized internationally.

Paragraph §123 of Estonia’s Constitution states: “The Republic of Estonia shall not conclude treaties which contradict Estonia’s Constitution.”

Hence, the new border treaty in question would contradict the
Peace Treaty of Tartu of 1920, Estonia’s Constitution, and international law and the ratification of such a treaty would be a breach of §122 of the Constitution.
Such a document would not be binding.

The signing of the new border treaty in question would override the Tartu Peace Treaty of 1920 and would constitute de jure recognition by Estonia of the Nazi-Soviet pact of 1939. This would imply, incorrectly, that Estonia was created as a new state in 1991, compromising Estonia’s sovereignty, as Russia would accelerate its meddling on behalf of ethnic Russians in Estonia.

Russia’s unresolved border disputes with its many neighbors have not implied any sort of hostility against Russia nor provoked its isolation; nor would hostilities ensue in the absence of such a defective border treaty. Hence Estonia is not in need of a “new” border treaty with Russia, as purported by the Estonian Foreign Ministry.

By international law, altering borders must first be endorsed by popular mandate. The current initiative by the Estonian Government calls for a referendum. Furthermore, 87% of the polled public opposes a new border treaty.

Estonia’s unratified border treaty of 2005 with Russia is unacceptable to Estonians. This should now be officially rejected by Estonia, as it was by Russia in 2005.

The Conference declares the bi-lateral Peace Treaty of Tartu of 1920 to be in effect, in whole, and must receive Russia’s uncompromised recognition.


Tallinn, Estonian National Library, June 01st, 2013

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