Starptautiskie dokumenti

ASV un Baltijas Partnerības komisijas komunikē

U.S. — Baltic Partnership Commission Communique

The inaugural session of the U.S. — Baltic Partnership Commission convened in Riga, Latvia on July 8, 1998. Latvia’s President Guntis Ulmanis opened the session, and Foreign Minister Valdis Birkavs as host moderated the discussions. Foreign Minister Toomas Hendrik Ilves of Estonia, Foreign Minister Algirdas Saudargas of Lithuania, and Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott of the United States led their countries’ delegations. Rapporteurs from Economic and Security Bilateral Working Groups presented the results of their meetings in recent months. Private sector representatives met in conjunction with the Partnership Commission to recommend promising areas for business initiatives in U.S. — Baltic economic cooperation.

The Partnership Commission was established under the Charter of Partnership among the Republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and the United States of America which was signed on January 16, 1998. Its purpose is to review annually progress toward meeting Charter goals, and to assess and implement Charter commitments for bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, and security areas. Reflecting the Partners’ common vision of a Europe whole and free, the goals of the Charter are jointly to create conditions for the full integration of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania into European and trans–Atlantic political, economic, security and defense institutions, and to enhance democracy, prosperity, and security in the Baltic Sea region.

In accordance with the principles enshrined in the Charter, the Partners have accomplished the following:

• Committed themselves to promoting Baltic integration into European and trans-Atlantic institutions, to furthering democratic and economic development, to fostering stability, and to maintaining and further promoting constructive and good neighborly relations within the region.

Affirmed their determination to expand U.S.–Baltic economic relations, particularly in the energy, transportation, communication, technology, and environmental areas, through building a public–private sector partnership focused on the region.

• Finalized plans for military cooperation in the year ahead, noting their support for one another’s positions on arms control, regional security issues, and the Security Model in Vienna.

• Applauded the important progress that the Baltic states have made toward social integration in line with OSCE principles.

• Welcomed the continuous and practical work of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania that will progress them toward, and eventually through, the open doors of the Euro–Atlantic community’s evolving and expanding institutions, including the new NATO.

• Agreed to work together to assure in the near future the accession of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania into the World Trade Organization on appropriate commercial terms.

• Promoted further regional cooperation through such fora as the Council of Baltic Sea States and encouraged U.S. involvement in CBSS activities, including in the fields of environmental protection, nuclear safety, international trade, and combating organized crime.

• Welcomed the U.S. Northern European Initiative and agreed to work together, and with the private sector, to identify and implement concrete projects in this framework designed to foster regional energy and transportation strategies, broader trading and investment relationships, greater coordination in the fight against organized crime, and focused efforts for the protection of the environment.

• Agreed to intensify efforts to promote the security, prosperity and stability of the region, including the participation of Russia in regional cooperation.

The Partners concluded by identifying the key areas for U.S. – Baltic cooperation in the year ahead. They expressed their determination to more closely coordinate their diplomacy on a range of issues regarding regional cooperation as well as European security. They agreed to deepen economic cooperation in the target areas of energy, transportation, communication, and the environment and to seek ways of engaging the private sector more fully in these importance spheres. The Partners stressed the importance of continuous U.S. military assistance for improving self– defense capabilities and the quality of military life, and for further implementation of Estonia’s, Latvia’s, and Lithuania’s NATO interoperability objectives. In this context, the Partners agreed to move forward expeditiously in implementing the U.S. Defense Assessment study. They also committed themselves to achieving continued progress in fully integrating Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania into European and trans–Atlantic institutions, including in supporting the preparations for integration with the European Union, NATO, and the World Trade Organization.

Finally, the Partners agreed to convene the next U.S.–Baltic Partnership Commission in Washington, D.C. in 1999.

Dokumenta tulkojums latviešu valodā — 1.lpp.