News

On 28 October, the book by professor Zenonas Butkus entitled “The Idea and Practice of the Baltic States’ Solidarity During 1918-1940” („ Baltijos valstybių vienybės idėja ir praktika 1918-1940 metais “) was presented at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.

During the presentation of the book, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Petras Vaitiekūnas expressed satisfaction about this unique edition which introduced to the reader an important period in the history of Lithuania’s diplomacy– the relations with the nearest neighbours Latvia and Estonia in the period between two World Wars.

“This book is the first attempt to compile the sources, reflecting the efforts of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to create the military, political and economic union during a very important period of strengthening of independence”, noticed Minister P.Vaitiekūnas.

According to the Minister, in the nineties of last century Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have achieved  the result to which they have been assiduously aspiring in the pre-war period.

“I mean not only the independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, but also that fact, that since 2004 we are members of the European Union and NATO. Today, being full members of the Euro-Atlantic community, we have also not forgotten about our trilateral cooperation which is successfully developed within a wide range of areas”, stressed the Head of diplomacy of Lithuania.

The Minister also noted that we should aspire to a new, more pragmatic attitude towards cooperation of the Baltic States, which would be based on protection of our interests in Europe and the world, and also would help our neighbours in the East to adopt European values.

P.Vaitiekūnas also paid attention to the importance of general strategic objectives and informal contacts among residents of the Baltic States.

With the help of authentic historical documents the book “The Idea and Practice of the Baltic States’ Solidarity During 1918-1940” reveals the origin of the idea of solidarity among Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, as well as it shows the ways in which the idea was fostered  during the period of the first modern Independence (1918-1940). Most  of documents, which have been found in the archives of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, and Germany, are published for the first time.

The author of the book, professor Z.Butkus, historians Dr. Česlovas Laurinavičius and Dr. Juozas Skirius, Ambassador of Estonia to Lithuania Tiit Neber, Ambassador of Latvia Hardijs Baumanis, Ambassador of Norway Steinar Gil and Ambassador of Poland Janusz Skolimowski took part in the presentation.