[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 94 (Tuesday, July 19, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   GET RUSSIAN TROOPS OUT OF ESTONIA

                                 ______


                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 19, 1994

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, ever since regaining its independence, 
Estonia has been negotiating with Moscow about the withdrawal of 
Russian troops. These forces now number about 2,500, and their 
departure from Estonia by August 31, 1994 was widely anticipated. But 
President Boris Yeltsin demonstratively proclaimed at the recent G-7 
meeting in Naples that Russian troops would not leave Estonia by that 
date.
  President Yeltsin's statement is very troubling. He justified his 
decision by charging that Russians are victims of persecution and human 
rights violations in Estonia. But his explanation is disturbing for two 
reasons: First, it is the position of the United States and the CSCE 
that troop withdrawals are not linked to any other issue under 
negotiation or discussion between Estonia and Russia. The July 1992 
resolution of the CSCE's Helsinki Summit calls for the ``early, orderly 
and complete withdrawal'' of foreign--that is, Russian--troops from the 
Baltic States. Russian signed that resolution, which says nothing about 
conditionality or linkage with any other issues.
  Second, despite numerous claims by President Yeltsin and other 
Russian officials, neither the CSCE nor other international 
organizations have uncovered human rights violations in Estonia. Staff 
members of the Helsinki Commission, which I cochair, have taken part in 
these fact-finding missions and have confirmed these conclusions. 
Russians and other noncitizens are becoming naturalized in accordance 
with Estonia's law on citizenship, and the CSCE and the European 
Community are closely monitoring the issuance of residency permits to 
noncitizens. They are learning Estonian and are taking advantage of 
Estonia's remarkable free market reforms to make money, there has been 
no violence, and Western public opinion shows a surprising level of 
satisfaction among them. Given these circumstances, allegations of 
human rights violations--not to speak of the more hysterical, 
tendentious, and unconscionable accusations emanating from Moscow of 
``genocide'' and ``ethnic cleansing''--are simply not credible.
  Even on the issue of Russian military retirees, the ostensible bone 
of contention between the two sides, Estonia has been flexible and 
forthcoming--especially since Russia has been demobilizing its troops 
into the Estonian population. So it is hard not to conclude that Russia 
is pursuing ends other than human rights, like hanging on to Paldiski, 
a nuclear submarine training base.
  Mr. Speaker, Russian troops should get out of Estonia, no ifs, ands, 
or buts. I regret that President Yeltsin, after his very public 
statement, is now boxed into a position from which it will be hard to 
extricate himself. The stance his government has taken does a 
disservice to Russia, affronts the sovereignty of its tiny neighbor and 
flaunts defiance of the CSCE and its principles.

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