[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 102 (Friday, July 29, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   RUSSIAN TROOPS ARE LEAVING ESTONIA

                                 ______


                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 29, 1994

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, July 26, President Boris Yeltsin 
of Russia and President Lennart Meri of Estonia gave their countries 
and the world a very pleasant surprise: They reached agreement on the 
withdrawal of Russian forces from Estonia by August 31, 1994. As 
President Meri said, this eliminates the last consequences of World War 
II for Estonia. In fact, with Russian troops scheduled to leave Latvia 
and Germany by the same date, as of September 1, except for Moldova, 
Russian troops will be out of Europe for the first time in 50 years.
  The accord was unexpected because relations between Russia and 
Estonia in recent months have been quite tense, and a compromise on the 
substance of the issues in dispute was beginning to appear unlikely. 
Estonia had been demanding the removal of Russian troops, whose 
departure Tallinn, and the CSCE, did not see as linked to any other 
bilateral matter of negotiation with Russia. Moscow, for its part, 
accused Estonia of perpetrating massive human rights violations against 
its Russian and Russian-speaking community, and insisted on social 
guarantees for Russian military pensioners in Estonia. The atmospherics 
of Russo-Estonian relations were also quite strained. At the G-7 
meeting in Naples, in fact, President Yeltsin forcefully answered 
``Nyet!'' when asked whether Russian forces would be out of Estonia by 
August 31.
  Fortunately, President Clinton urged both Presidents to meet face to 
face, and fortunately, they did. The result of their 5-hour 
deliberations was a mutually satisfactory accord on the troop 
withdrawal and on Russian military pensioners. Russian negotiators 
stressed their satisfaction with Estonia's agreement to let all 
military pensioners apply for, and obtain, residence permits, rather 
than exclude particular categories in advance. For Estonia, it was 
critical that no other state decide who remains in the country, and 
Tallinn reserved the right to rule ``Nyet'' on applicants deemed a 
threat to Estonia's national security, especially officers of the KGB 
and GRU--military intelligence. To assure a fair hearing, the panel 
judging applications on a case by case basis will be composed of 
Estonians, Russians, and a representative of the CSCE.
  The agreement is significant for several reasons. First, it augurs a 
new era in Estonian-Russian relations. I have long believed that 
whatever concerns Moscow had about human rights in Estonia would be 
more easily assuaged and addressed once Estonia no longer had to worry 
about unwanted Russian soldiers on its territory. These two neighboring 
countries, one enormous, the other tiny, will hopefully now be able to 
develop the sort of cooperative relationship based on mutual respect 
people had anticipated of the post-cold war world.
  Second, the agreement between Boris Yeltsin and Lennart Meri 
demonstrates how heads of state can come to terms when their emissaries 
and negotiators have reached a dead end. What's necessary is the 
political will--and sometimes, a push. Which brings me to the third 
point: the positive leadership role played by President Clinton in 
urging his counterparts to try again. He has received well-earned 
praise for facilitating the historic visit to Washington this week by 
King Hussein and Prime Minister Rabin, and he deserves credit as well 
for helping to bring about the long-awaited accord on the removal of 
Russian soldiers from Estonia.

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