    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [January 16, 1998]
    [Pages 71-74]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    A Charter of Partnership Among the United States of America and the
    Republic of Estonia, Republic of Latvia, and Republic of Lithuania
    January 16, 1998

    Preamble

        The United States of America, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic
    of Latvia, and the Republic of Lithuania, hereafter referred to as
    Partners.
        Sharing a common vision of a peaceful and increasingly integrated
    Europe, free of divisions, dedicated to democracy, the rule of law, free
    markets, and respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of
    all people;
        Recognizing the historic opportunity to build a new Europe, in which
    each state is secure in its internationally-recognized borders and
    respects the independence and territorial integrity of all members of
    the transatlantic community;
        Determined to strengthen their bilateral relations as a contribution
    to building this new Europe, and to enhance the security of all states
    through the adaptation and enlargement of European and transatlantic
    institutions;
        Committed to the full development of human potential within just and
    inclusive societies attentive to the promotion of harmonious and
    equitable relations among individuals belonging to diverse ethnic and
    religious groups;
        Avowing a common interest in developing cooperative, mutually
    respectful relations with all other states in the region;
        Recalling the friendly relations that have been continuously
    maintained between the United States of America and the Republic of
    Estonia, the Republic of Latvia, and the Republic of Lithuania since
    1922;
        Further recalling that the United States of America never recognized
    the forcible incorporation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into the
    USSR in 1940 but rather regards their statehood as uninterrupted since
    the establishment of their independence, a policy which the United
    States has restated continuously for five decades;
        Celebrating the rich contributions that immigrants from Estonia,
    Latvia, and Lithuania have made to the multi-ethnic culture of the
    United States of America, as well as the European heritage enjoyed by
    the United States as a beneficiary of the contributions of
    intellectuals, artists, and Hanseatic traders from the Baltic states to
    the development of Europe; praising the contributions of U.S. citizens
    to the liberation and rebuilding of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
        Affirm as a political commitment declared at the highest level, the
    following principles and procedures to guide their individual and joint
    efforts to achieve the goals of this Charter.

    Principles of Partnership

        The United States of America has a real, profound and enduring
    interest in the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,
    and security of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
        The United States of America warmly welcomes the success of Estonia,
    Latvia, and Lithuania in regaining their freedom and resuming their
    rightful places in the community of nations.
        The United States of America respects the sacrifices and hardships
    undertaken by the people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to re-
    establish their independence. It encourages efforts by these states to
    continue to expand their political, economic, security, and social ties
    with other nations as full members of the transatlantic community.
        The Partners affirm their commitment to the rule of law as a
    foundation for a transatlantic community of free and democratic nations,
    and to the responsibility of all just societies to protect and respect
    the human rights and civil liberties of all individuals residing within
    their territories.

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        The Partners underscore their shared commitment to the principles
    and obligations contained in the United Nations Charter.
        The Partners reaffirm their shared commitment to the purposes,
    principles, and provisions of the Helsinki Final Act and subsequent OSCE
    documents, including the Charter of Paris and the documents adopted at
    the Lisbon OSCE Summit.
        The Partners will observe in good faith their commitments to promote
    and respect the standards for human rights embodied in the above-
    mentioned Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
    documents and in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. They will
    implement their legislation protecting such human rights fully and
    equitably.
        The United States of America commends the measures taken by Estonia,
    Latvia, and Lithuania to advance the integration of Europe by
    establishing close cooperative relations among themselves and with their
    neighbors, as well as their promotion of regional cooperation through
    their participation in fora such as the Baltic Assembly, Baltic Council
    of Ministers, and the Council of Baltic Sea States.
        Viewing good neighborly relations as fundamental to overall security
    and stability in the transatlantic community, Estonia, Latvia, and
    Lithuania reaffirm their determination to further enhance bilateral
    relations between themselves and with other neighboring states.
        The Partners will intensify their efforts to promote the security,
    prosperity, and stability of the region. The Partners will draw on the
    points noted below in focusing their efforts to deepen the integration
    of the Baltic states into transatlantic and European institutions,
    promote cooperation in security and defense, and develop the economies
    of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

    A Commitment to Integration

        As part of a common vision of a Europe whole and free, the Partners
    declare that their shared goal is the full integration of Estonia,
    Latvia, and Lithuania into European and transatlantic political,
    economic, security and defense institutions. Europe will not be fully
    secure unless Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania each are secure.
        The Partners reaffirm their commitment to the principle, established
    in the Helsinki Final Act, repeated in the Budapest and Lisbon OSCE
    summit declarations, and also contained in the OSCE Code of Conduct on
    Politico-Military Aspects of Security, that the security of all states
    in the Euro-Atlantic community is indivisible.
        The Partners further share a commitment to the core principle, also
    articulated in the OSCE Code of Conduct and reiterated in subsequent
    OSCE summit declarations, that each state has the inherent right to
    individual and collective self-defense as well as the right freely to
    choose its own security arrangements, including treaties of alliance.
        The Partners support the vital role being played by a number of
    complementary institutions and bodies--including the OSCE, the European
    Union (EU), the West European Union (WEU) the North Atlantic Treaty
    Organization (NATO), the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), the
    Council of Europe (COE), and the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS)--in
    achieving the partners' shared goal of an integrated, secure, and
    undivided Europe.
        They believe that, irrespective of factors related to history or
    geography, such institutions should be open to all European democracies
    willing and able to shoulder the responsibilities and obligations of
    membership, as determined by those institutions.
        The Partners welcome a strong and vibrant OSCE dedicated to
    promoting democratic institutions, human rights, and fundamental
    freedoms. They strongly support the OSCE's role as a mechanism to
    prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts and crises.
        Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania each reaffirm their goal to become
    full members of all European and transatlantic institutions, including
    the European Union and NATO.
        The United States of America recalls its longstanding support for
    the enlargement of the EU, affirming it as a core institution in the new
    Europe and declaring that a stronger, larger, and outward-looking
    European Union will further security and prosperity for all of Europe.
        The Partners believe that the enlargement of NATO will enhance the
    security of the United States, Canada, and all the countries in Europe,
    including those states not immediately invited to membership or not
    currently interested in membership.
        The United States of America welcomes the aspirations and supports
    the efforts of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to join NATO. It affirms
    its view that NATO's partners can become

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    members as each aspirant proves itself able and willing to assume the
    responsibilities and obligations of membership, and as NATO determines
    that the inclusion of these nations would serve European stability and
    the strategic interests of the Alliance.
        The United States of America reiterates its view that the
    enlargement of NATO is an on-going process. It looks forward to future
    enlargements, and remains convinced that not only will NATO's door
    remain open to new members, but that the first countries invited to
    membership will not be the last. No non-NATO country has a veto over
    Alliance decisions. The United States notes the Alliance is prepared to
    strengthen its consultations with aspirant countries on the full range
    of issues related to possible NATO membership.
        The Partners welcome the results of the Madrid Summit. They support
    the Alliance's commitment to an open door policy and welcome the
    Alliance's recognition of the Baltic states as aspiring members of NATO.
    Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania pledge to deepen their close relations
    with the Alliance through the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the
    Partnership for Peace, and the intensified dialogue process.
        The Partners underscore their interest in Russia's democratic and
    stable development and support a strengthened NATO-Russia relationship
    as a core element of their shared vision of a new and peaceful Europe.
    They welcome the signing of the NATO-Russia Founding Act and the NATO-
    Ukraine Charter, both of which further improve European security.

    Security Cooperation

        The Partners will consult together, as well as with other countries,
    in the event that a Partner perceives that its territorial integrity,
    independence, or security is threatened or at risk. The Partners will
    use bilateral and multilateral mechanisms for such consultations.
        The United States welcomes and appreciates the contributions that
    Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have already made to European security
    through the peaceful restoration of independence and their active
    participation in the Partnership for Peace. The United States also
    welcomes their contributions to IFOR, SFOR, and other international
    peacekeeping missions.
        Building on the existing cooperation among their respective
    ministries of defense and armed forces, the United States of America
    supports the efforts of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to provide for
    their legitimate defense needs, including development of appropriate and
    interoperable military forces.
        The Partners welcome the establishment of the Baltic Security
    Assistance Group (BALTSEA) as an effective body for international
    coordination of security assistance to Estonia's, Latvia's and
    Lithuania's defense forces.
        The Partners will cooperate further in the development and expansion
    of defense initiatives such as the Baltic Peacekeeping Battalion
    (BaltBat), the Baltic Squadron (Baltron), and the Baltic airspace
    management regime (BaltNet), which provide a tangible demonstration of
    practical cooperation enhancing the common security of Estonia, Latvia,
    and Lithuania, and the transatlantic community.
        The Partners intend to continue mutually beneficial military
    cooperation and will maintain regular consultations, using the
    established Bilateral Working Group on Defense and Military Relations.

    Economic Cooperation

        The Partners affirm their commitment to free market mechanisms as
    the best means to meet the material needs of their people.
        The United States of America commends the substantial progress its
    Baltic Partners have made to implement economic reform and development
    and their transition to free market economies.
        Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania emphasize their intention to deepen
    their economic integration with Europe and the global economy, based on
    the principles of free movement of people, goods, capital and services.
        Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania underscore their commitment to
    continue market-oriented economic reforms and to express their resolve
    to achieve full integration into global economic bodies, such as the
    World Trade Organization (WTO) while creating conditions for smoothly
    acceding to the European Union.
        Noting this objective, the United States of America will work to
    facilitate the integration of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with the
    world economy and appropriate international economic organizations, in
    particular the WTO and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
    Development (OECD), on appropriate commercial terms.

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        The Partners will work individually and together to develop legal
    and financial conditions in their countries conducive to international
    investment. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania welcome U.S. investment in
    their economies.
        The Partners will continue to strive for mutually advantageous
    economic relations building on the principles of equality and non-
    discrimination to create the conditions necessary for such cooperation.
        The Partners will commence regular consultations to further
    cooperation and provide for regular assessment of progress in the areas
    of economic development, trade, investment, and related fields. These
    consultations will be chaired at the appropriately high level.
        Recognizing that combating international organized crime requires a
    multilateral effort, the partners agree to cooperate fully in the fight
    against this threat to the world economy and political stability.
    Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania remain committed to developing sound
    legislation in this field and to enhance the implementation of this
    legislation through the strengthening of a fair and well-functioning
    judicial system.

    The U.S.-Baltic Relationship

        In all of these spheres of common endeavor, the Partners, building
    on their shared history of friendship and cooperation, solemnly reaffirm
    their commitment to a rich and dynamic Baltic-American partnership for
    the 21st century.
        The Partners view their partnership in the areas of political,
    economic, security, defense, cultural, and environmental affairs as
    contributing to closer ties between their people and facilitating the
    full integration of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania into European and
    transatlantic structures.
        In order to further strengthen these ties, the Partners will
    establish a Partnership Commission chaired at the appropriately high
    level to evaluate common efforts. This Commission will meet once a year
    or as needed to take stock of the Partnership, assess results of
    bilateral consultations on economic, military and other areas, and
    review progress achieved towards meeting the goals of this Charter.
        In order to better reflect changes in the European and transatlantic
    political and security environment, signing Partners are committed
    regularly at the highest level to review this agreement.

    William J. Clinton                      Lennart Meri
    President                               President
    United States of America                Republic of Estonia
    Guntis Ulmanis Algirdas                 Brazauskas
    President                               President
    Republic of Latvia                      Republic of Lithuania

    Washington D.C.,

    January 16, 1998

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this agreement.