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The President of the Republic delivered a speech at an international conference dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the Tartu Peace Treaty03.02.2005
The President of the Republic today delivered a speech at an international history conference ''Border Changes in 20th Century Europe'', dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the Tartu Peace Treaty, which was held at the Tartu University's History Museum.
In his speech, President Rüütel noted that the choice of the venue and time of that conference was very symbolic, as both, Tartu and the yesterday's date, were linked with the formation of state borders in Europe.
''Generally speaking, we can regard the last century as an era of formation of new borders, both in direct and indirect sense of the word. In Europe, including our region here, the borders between states and also between people and their way of thinking changed,'' the head of state said.
The President of the Republic stressed that he topics related to state borders could be treated in historical, legal, as well as in political context. ''At the same time, all those different ways of treatment are needed in order to get a complete picture. The same holds true also when we handle the topic of the Tartu Peace Treaty,'' President Rüütel stated.
The head of state also spoke about the importance of the Tartu Peace Treaty, and securing Estonian nationhood. ''The Tartu Peace Treaty guaranteed the independence of our state giving the other states of the world a legal basis to recognise it,'' the President of the Republic pointed out. The Peace Treaty was also a legal basis to arrange relations with the Soviet Union, the legal successor to Russia, who had recognised it in the resolution of its People's Deputies Congress of December 24, 1989.
The President of the Republic noted that we should not look at the topics of the Tartu Peace Treaty and the currently prepared Estonian-Russian border agreement, in the context of the relations of our two countries only. ''We should not underestimate their significance for the entire world, as it is today, where developments are determined by new realities. Also the concept of state borders in today's world has gained new meanings - it is the boundary of a space where national interests are protected, but it is also the boundary of a space of common interests of nations that share the same values,'' President Rüütel said. The head of state expressed hope that honest treatment of historical legacy and mutual respect of each other would become a norm in Estonian-Russian relations also nowadays.
Public Relations Unit of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, February 3, 2005
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