Soviet Aggression Against The Baltic Statesby Augusts Rumpēters

APPENDIX
LATVIAN–USSR RELATIONS
BEFORE LATVIA’S OCCUPATION BY THE USSR

Relations between Latvia and the USSR were determined by a series of treaties which guaranteed the independence and sovereignty of the Latvian state on the part of the USSR. The following is a list of treaties concluded between Latvia and the USSR, and some of the most typical quotations pertaining to guarantees given to Latvia by the USSR. (The USSR had concluded similar treaties with Estonia and Lithuania. It is therefore not necessary to mention them here to characterize the actions of the USSR.)

1. The treaty of peace between Latvia and Russia of August 11, 1920. (League of Nations Treaties Series No. 67, 1920-1921, p. 213-231.) Article 2 of this treaty, among other things, states:

   “Russia unreservedly recognizes the independence and sovereignty of the Latvian State and voluntarily and irrevocably69 renounces all sovereign rights over the Latvian people and territory which formerly belonged to Russia.... The previous status of subjection of Latvia to Russia shall not entail any obligation towards Russia on the part of the Latvian people or territory.”

2. Agreement between Latvia and the USSR of July 19, 1926, concerning the settlement of disputes which may arise on the frontier between the two countries. (League of Nations, Treaty Series, 1926, No. 1283, pp. 167-175.)
3. The General Treaty for Renunciation of War as an Instrument of National Policy, signed in Paris, August 27, 1928, the so-called Kellogg Pact. (League of Nations Treaties Series, No. 2137-29, pp. 59-63). This treaty, among other things states that

   “ ... The High Contracting Parties: a) condemn recourse to war for the solution of international controversies (Article I) ... and b) agree that the settlement or solution of all disputes or conflicts of whatever nature or of whatever origin they may be, which may arise among them, shall never be sought except by pacific means (Article II).”

   As to the interpretation of the above Pact, Chesney Hill in his article “Recent Policies of Non-Recognition” states as follows: “There is a general agreement that the Pact of Paris prohibits not only war in the legal sense, but also the use of force.”70
4. The Protocol signed in Moscow, February 9, 1929, between the USSR, Latvia and other neighboring countries for the immediate entry into force of the Treaty of Paris of August 27, 1928. (League of Nations Treaties Series 2028-29, pp. 371-375). In the introduction of this Protocol it is stated that Contracting Parties

   “being desirous of promoting the maintenance of peace between their respective countries, and for this purpose of putting into force without delay … the Treaty for the renunciation of war … have decided to achieve this purpose by means of the present Protocol…”

   Article I of the above Protocol further states that

   “the Treaty for the renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy, signed in Paris on August 27, 1928 … shall come into force between the Contracting Parties …”

5. 1. The Treaty of Non-Aggression between Latvia and the USSR of February 5, 1932. By the Protocol signed on April 4, 1934, the period of validity of the above Treaty was determined to be until December 31, 1945. (League of Nations Treaties Series No. 3408-34, pp. 123-125, and 127). In the introduction of the above Treaty, the Contracting Parties, among other things, declare that
      1. “none of the obligations so far as assumed by either of the Parties hinders the peaceful development of their mutual relations or is incompatible with the present Treaty;”
      and that they are
      2. “firmly resolved to respect mutually and unreservedly each other's sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity, and inviolability.”
      In conformity with the above introduction, Article I of this Treaty states that:

      “Each of the High Contracting Parties undertakes to refrain from any act of aggression directed against the other, and also from any acts of violence directed against the territorial integrity and inviolability or the political independence of the other Contracting Party, regardless of whether such aggression or such acts are committed separately or together with other Powers, with or without a declaration of war.”

      Article III of the above Treaty further declares that

      “the obligations provided for in the present Treaty may not in any way limit or change the international rights and obligations devolving on the High Contracting Parties from treaties concluded by them before the coming into force of the present Treaty and duly published in the official publications of each Party…”

      Procedure to be taken in case of dispute or difference of opinion between the Contracting Parties, is foreseen in the Article IV of the above Treaty:

      “In view of the obligations assumed in the present Treaty, the High Contracting Parties undertake to submit all disputes, whatever their kind of origin, which may arise between them after the signature of the present Treaty and which cannot be settled within a reasonable period by ordinary diplomatic procedure, to a procedure of conciliation in a joint conciliation commission of which the composition, powers, and procedure are to be fixed by a special Convention which the two Parties undertake to conclude as early as possible, and which shall come into force at the same time as the present Treaty.”

   2. The Convention Relating to Conciliation Procedure between Latvia and the USSR of June 18, 1932, contains, in its turn, the procedure of conciliation foreseen in the above Treaty of Non-Aggression, i.e., it contains the rules of work of the conciliation commission. (League of Nations Treaties Series No. 3409-34, pp. 139-141).
6. The Convention for the Definition of the Aggression of July 3, 1933 (League of Nations Treaties Series No. 3391, pp. 69-75). Article II of the above Convention gives a close definition of various forms of aggression; among others, such as “invasion by its armed forces, with or without a declaration of war of the territory of another State,” but Article III of the same Convention determines that “no political, military, economic or other considerations may serve as an excuse or justification for the aggression (referred to in Article II).”
7. The Pact of Mutual Assistance between the Republic of Latvia and the USSR of October 5, 1939. (League of Nations Treaties Series No. 4656/39, pp. 385-387). This Pact which foresees the installment of certain USSR naval and air bases in the territory of Latvia, among other things, repeatedly recognizes the sovereignty of the Latvian State, as Article V of the Pact declares:

   “The enforcement of the present Pact may in no way impair the sovereign rights of the Contracting Parties, more especially with regard to their political structure, economic and social systems, and military measures.”